Chicken Tagine

Chicken and eggplant tagine with apricots and caramelized walnuts

Another amazing recipe from Marianne. Thank you!

Make marinade by blending together:

1-2 cloves garlic
1 handful fresh cilantro or ½ T dried cilantro
½ t dried ginger
½ t white pepper
½ t salt
1 T olive oil
1 t lime juice

Cut into quarters, and marinate for 2-3 hours:

3-4 chicken thighs or breast (preferably boneless)

Lay in a thin layer in a heavy-bottomed pan (or tagine pan, if you have one):

½ onion, thinly sliced

Place the chicken on top, and dot with:

½ T butter

Cover the pan tightly and cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes.

While the chicken is cooking, place in another pan and heat gently:

½ T butter
1 T honey

When that starts to bubble, add:

⅓ C walnuts

Stir around gently until the walnuts are caramelized, then place them on waxed paper or tinfoil. 

Using the same pan, add:

⅓ C water
1 T honey
⅓ C dried apricots
dash cinnamon

Bring to a gentle boil and allow the water to evaporate. Stir from time to time until the apricots are plump and the liquid in the pan becomes paste-like. Remove from heat and set aside.

Now, back to the chicken. At this point, you should see water in the chicken pan. Turn the chicken pieces, mixing up the onions and chicken so that the chicken is on the bottom of the pan. If anything sticks, add 1-2 T of water until it loosens. 

Add:

1-2 eggplants, sliced about twice the size of the chicken pieces

Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes. Add the apricots and extra liquid to the chicken/eggplant mixture. Cover and allow to cook for a couple more minutes. Add the caramelized walnuts. Toss throughout the pan thoroughly and let sit for another minute before turning the heat off. ;

Serve over couscous or saffron rice (saffron rice is my favorite).