Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Apricots & Almonds

Written by on in Everything Chicken, Low Calorie Recipes, Recipes

This Moroccan-style chicken tagine is one of those dishes that quietly delivers far more than you expect. Built around gentle warmth rather than heat, it layers aromatic spices with tender chicken, sweet dried apricots, and toasted almonds for texture. The sauce cooks down slowly into something rich and glossy, soaking beautifully into couscous or rice.

I’ve kept this recipe deliberately approachable — no specialist equipment required and no hard-to-find ingredients. Chicken thighs are ideal here because they stay juicy during a long simmer, but this dish is flexible and forgiving. Like many slow-cooked curries and stews, it actually tastes better the next day, making it perfect for batch cooking.

🌟 Top Tip:
Take your time with the onions. Letting them soften and lightly caramelise is what gives the sauce its natural depth and sweetness — it’s the backbone of the entire dish.

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🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4)

🍗 Chicken

  • 8 chicken thighs, bone-in and skinless (or boneless thighs)

🧅 Base

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, crushed

🌶 Spices

  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste

🍯 Sauce & Finish

  • 400ml chicken stock
  • 150g dried apricots, halved
  • 50g flaked almonds, lightly toasted
  • Fresh coriander, to serve

🔥 Instructions

  1. Brown the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based pan or tagine over medium heat. Season the chicken well and brown on all sides until lightly golden. Remove from the pan and set aside.
  2. Soften the onions: In the same pan, add the sliced onion and cook gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft and lightly caramelised. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
  3. Bloom the spices: Stir in the cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, and ginger. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant — this releases their full flavour.
  4. Build the sauce: Return the chicken to the pan and pour over the stock. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  5. Add sweetness: Stir in the apricots, cover, and simmer on low heat for 40–45 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the sauce has thickened slightly.
  6. Finish the dish: Stir through the toasted almonds just before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.
  7. Serve: Garnish with fresh coriander and serve hot.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

  • Serve with couscous, basmati rice, or warm flatbreads.
  • A simple cucumber and yoghurt side works beautifully alongside this dish.

📊 Nutrition Info (Per Serving)

  • Calories: ~420
  • Protein: 32g
  • Carbs: 22g
  • Fat: 24g
  • Fibre: 4g

💡 Handy Tips

  • This tagine freezes well — cool completely and freeze in portions.
  • For extra richness, add a knob of butter or a drizzle of olive oil at the end.
  • If using boneless chicken, reduce cooking time slightly.

❓ FAQs

Q: Can I use chicken breast instead?
A: You can, but thighs are more forgiving. If using breast, add it later and reduce the simmer time to avoid drying it out.

Q: Can I make this in advance?
A: Absolutely. Like most slow-cooked dishes, the flavour improves overnight.

Q: Is this dish spicy?
A: No — it’s gently warming rather than hot. Add chilli flakes if you want heat.

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