Tagine of Chicken with Apricots
Ingredients
- 3 lbs skinless bone-in chicken thighs (about 12)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, thinly sliced on the vertical
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp minced gingerroot
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 piece (2 inches/5cm) cinnamon stick
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 24 dried apricots
- 2 tbsp harissa
- 1 tbsp liquid honey
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
Instructions
- 1. Arrange chicken evenly over bottom of stoneware.
- 2. In a skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves and cinnamon stick and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Stir in stock.
- 3. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Stir in apricots. cover and cook on Low of 5 hours or on High for 2 1/2 hours until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with a fork. Remove and discard bay leaves.
- 4. In a small bowl, combine harissa and honey. Mix well. Add to slow cooker and stir well. Cover and cook on High for 10 minutes to blend flavors. Garnish with cilantro and pine nuts and serve.
Notes
Harissa is a North African condiment made from hot peppers. Look for it in specialty food stores (I found it at our local natural food store, Blush Lane). You can easily make your own.
To make Harissa:
In a mini food processor, combine 3 dried red chile peppers (reconstituted in boiling water for 30 minutes), 2 tsp each toasted caraway, coriander and cumin seeds, 2 reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 tbsp sweet paprika and 1/2 tsp salt. Process until combined. Add 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and process until smooth. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, covering the paste with a bit of olive oil every time you use it. Makes about 1/3 cup.
Courtesy The Healthy Slow Cooker, Second Edition by Judith Finlayson © 2014 www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with publisher permission.
To make Harissa:
In a mini food processor, combine 3 dried red chile peppers (reconstituted in boiling water for 30 minutes), 2 tsp each toasted caraway, coriander and cumin seeds, 2 reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 tbsp sweet paprika and 1/2 tsp salt. Process until combined. Add 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and process until smooth. Store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 month, covering the paste with a bit of olive oil every time you use it. Makes about 1/3 cup.
Courtesy The Healthy Slow Cooker, Second Edition by Judith Finlayson © 2014 www.robertrose.ca Reprinted with publisher permission.
Recipe by Just a Smidgen at https://justasmidgen.com/2014/03/13/the-healthy-slow-cooker/