Chicken Tagine with Honeynut Squash

Name: Chicken Tagine with Honeynut Squash
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp ras el hanout (recipe in method); 2.5 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 2 Tbsp olive oil; 1 lb chicken thighs, cut into chunks; 1 onion, sliced; 4 cloves garlic smashed; 2 inch knob ginger, grated; 3/4 cup dried apricots, quartered; 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes; 2 cups hot water; 1 Bou chicken bouillon cube; 1 cup diced squash; 1 cup pitted green olives, halved; 2 Tbsp ghee or oil; 8 oz frozen spinach, thawed; 1 cup parked couscous; 1 cup cilantro, chopped; 1 lemon; 1/4 cup pistachios, chopped

Lance Wilson @lance_wilson

Nyack, NY

A hearty tagine with north African spices. I used a honeynut squash from a friend's garden, but you can use any autumn squash like butternut or acorn.

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 Tbsp ras el hanout (recipe in method)
2.5 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb chicken thighs, cut into chunks
1 onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic smashed
2 inch knob ginger, grated
3/4 cup dried apricots, quartered
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
2 cups hot water
1 Bou chicken bouillon cube
1 cup diced squash
1 cup pitted green olives, halved
2 Tbsp ghee or oil
8 oz frozen spinach, thawed
1 cup parked couscous
1 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lemon
1/4 cup pistachios, chopped

Cooking Instructions

1

If you're using a traditional tagine, begin by preheating the oven with tagine inside at 325F. If you don't have a tagine, you can do this recipe on the stove top in a Dutch oven and transfer to the oven later on.
2

Combine the olive oil, ras el hanout, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
3

Ras el hanout: 12 green cardamom pods. 4 black cardamom pods. 4 tsp cumin seeds. 4 tsp coriander seeds. 2 tsp anise seeds. 1/2 tsp allspice berries. 1/4 tsp black peppercorns. 4 tsp ground ginger. 2 tsp nutmeg. 2 tsp Aleppo pepper. 2 tsp cinnamon. Grind all in spice mill. If you want to use a premixed Moroccan spice blend that's fine too.
4

Add half the spice paste to the chicken and mix.
5

Add the ginger to remaining spice mix.
6

Dissolve the bouillon cube in 2 cups of hot water.
7

Combine the onion and garlic in a bowl.
8

Combine the apricot and tomato in a bowl
9

Combine the olives and squash in a bowl.
10

Heat the ghee in a skillet over medium-high heat.
11

Add the onion and garlic and brown.
12

Add the remaining spice mix and cook until fragrant.
13

Add the onion mixture to the tagine
14

Deglaze the skillet with the tomatoes, apricots and 1/2 cup of the stock.
15

Transfer the tomatoes to the tagine.
16

Nestle the chicken into the tagine
17

Cover with the lid and bake for 45 min.
18

Add the squash and the olives and continue baking for another 30-45 min.
19

Meanwhile, combine the cilantro, the zest of the lemon, the juice of the lemon, and the pistachios.
20

Add the remaining 1.5 cups stock to a small pot. Bring to a boil and add the couscous. Cook on low, covered for 10 min followed by removing from heat and letting sit to steam.
21

When the squash is tender, add the spinach over top and continue cooking for 10 min.
22

Remove the tagine from the oven and top with the cilantro mixture.
23

Serve in deep bowls with the couscous and lots of the tagine.