An oven-baked version of a Moroccan chicken tagine, with chickpeas, apricots and warm spices.
A tagine is traditionally cooked slowly in its namesake clay pot over low heat, but the same flavor combination — chicken, warm spices, dried fruit and a rich tomato-based sauce — translates easily into a one-dish oven bake for anyone without a tagine pot. This casserole keeps the essential Moroccan flavor markers: cumin, cinnamon and ginger bloomed in oil, chicken braised until fall-apart tender, and dried apricots that soften and release sweetness into the sauce as it bakes.\n\nThe technique that matters here is browning the chicken well before it goes into the oven — searing the skin or surface first builds a layer of flavor that a straight braise skips entirely, and it also renders some fat that helps carry the spices through the sauce. Covering the dish tightly for most of the bake keeps the chicken moist, with the lid coming off near the end so the sauce reduces and thickens slightly.\n\nServe over couscous, with the sauce spooned generously over both the chicken and grain — this is the kind of dish that's better the day after it's made, once the spices have had time to settle.
Serves 4
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Pat chicken thighs dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large oven-safe pot over medium-high heat and sear chicken, skin-side down, 5-6 minutes until deeply golden. Flip and sear 2 more minutes, then remove.
Add remaining oil and onion to the pot. Cook 6 minutes until softened, then add garlic, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
Stir in diced tomatoes and chicken stock, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Return the chicken to the pot, skin-side up, along with chickpeas and dried apricots. Cover and bake 40 minutes.
Keep the chicken skin above the liquid line as much as possible so it doesn't turn soggy during the braise.
Remove the lid and bake 10-15 more minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and the chicken is fully tender.
Top with cilantro and toasted almonds, and serve over couscous.
Sear the chicken skin hard before braising — this single step adds most of the dish's depth and prevents pale, flabby skin.
Keep the lid on for most of the bake to protect the chicken from drying out, only removing it at the end to reduce the sauce.
This dish tastes even better a day later once the spices have had time to meld — make it ahead if you can.
Use bone-in chicken drumsticks instead of thighs for a similar result with a slightly different presentation.
Add green olives and preserved lemon instead of apricots for a savory, briny variation closer to a classic Moroccan olive tagine.
Swap chicken for lamb shoulder chunks and extend the covered braising time to about 1.5 hours for a more tender result.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days — the flavor improves after a day. Reheat covered in a 350°F (175°C) oven or gently on the stovetop.
Tagines are named for the conical clay pot they're traditionally cooked in, which is designed to circulate steam and keep meat tender over long, slow cooking. Chicken tagines with dried fruit like apricots or prunes are especially common in Moroccan home cooking, often served for Friday family lunches or special occasions.
No — any heavy, oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid, like a Dutch oven, works just as well for this baked version.
That happens when the skin sits submerged in the braising liquid the whole time; keep the chicken skin-side up and try to keep it above the liquid line as much as possible.
Yes, though reduce the covered braising time to about 25-30 minutes since boneless thighs cook faster and can dry out if left in as long as bone-in pieces.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 4 servings total
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