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    Home • Recipes • Make-Ahead

    Chicken Tagine with Prunes

    Published: Feb 20, 2023 · Modified: Jun 1, 2023 by Jill Colonna16 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    An easy Moroccan chicken tagine recipe with prunes. Traditionally chicken tagine recipes are made with olives and preserved lemons but this is based on a lamb tagine made instead with chicken.

    It's deliciously spicy comfort food served with semolina, toasted almonds and coriander.

    prune tagine of chicken or turkey with toasted almonds and cone of semolina in background

    What is a Tagine?

    What's so special about a tagine, also known as tajine, is it's named after the dish they're traditionally cooked in. On family trips to Morocco, these dishes are seen everywhere at the markets with beautifully hand-painted patterns and vibrant colours. Alas I need to return, as I have broken not one - but two! - beautiful tagine dishes. This one left for my photos is far too small but you can see how it looks.

    The dish itself is conical with a wide, round base. The speciality of the conical shaped lid is that it fits into the base wide-rimmed bottom dish. As the tagine cooks slowly inside, steam escapes out of the top conical funnel.

    The result is a slow-cooked, one-pot casserole that's lightly spiced and has a bit of the exotic around it.  It's also healthy, as it doesn't contain a lot of fat. So, during the colder months, this is one of our best slow-cooked spicy stews.

    Although it's cooked in a traditional tagine dish, this is just as good cooked in a heavy crock pot or Dutch oven.

    chicken prune tagine

    Tagines in Paris

    A Tagine is, broadly speaking, the French's answer to the British curry. The French go Moroccan with spicy stews.

    When I first arrived in Paris in 1992, Indian curry houses were rare; on the other hand, Moroccan Couscous restaurants were - and still are - extremely popular. Tagine restaurants tend to have elaborate entrances and an ambiance as if stepping into a restaurant in Marrakesh.

    Orange blossom fragrances dominate as candles are lit and it's all pretty romantic. Personally, I love coming to a Moroccan restaurant in Paris, as it feels like being transported to another land for the evening.

    Easy Chicken Tagine Recipe

    This is by far my best chicken tagine recipe. Luckily I now have it on the website, as my written out go-to recipe has been splashed and become rather tattered over the years. It started out from a magazine cut-out for lamb tagine - then each time I made it, I added notes like 'add more garlic', 'add saffron' and 'fresh coriander a must'. Add this and that. Most importantly, can I try this without the lamb?

    So, this recipe started out as a more traditional lamb tagine with prunes but gradually, as the family have been eating meat less, we wanted this made with poultry.  We've replaced it with something a bit more 'meaty' than chicken (see below) - even although chicken is super for this recipe.

    Not keen on prunes? Then replace with dried apricots - it goes so well together.

    Even our French/Spanish family members that live in Morocco approved this recipe, which is the ultimate compliment.

    slow-cooked chicken with prunes and spices in a sauce in one pot, semolina in another and toasting almond slivers in a pan

    What Does Tagine Taste Like?

    Traditionally, chicken tagine is usually made with olives and citron confit or preserved lemon. As this version can be a bit acidic, the kids prefer this moreish chicken tagine version with prunes.

    It tastes like a very mild curry but instead of the usual Indian spices (garam masala, turmeric etc.), the flavours are predominately with cinnamon, cumin and ginger. Is it hot? That's up to you - I like just a little heat but if you want more, then up the quantity of the cayenne pepper.

    What's more, with the prunes, it's slightly sweet which balances out the spice.

    sprinkling spicy cayenne pepper on chicken cooking in ginger and garlic in a big pot

    What to Do with Oyster (fowl)?

    So what's the special poultry meat that can fool us into thinking that it looks like lamb yet tastes slightly lighter? We find it at many local boucheries or at the local market: known as Sot l'y laisse or huîtres de poulet. 

    They are Oyster Fowl - two oyster-sized rounds of darker poultry meat, found near the thighs. This kind of meat is perfect for making a chicken tagine. It's thanks to our local market that when I asked what to do with it, the 'poultry lady' suggested I made tagine with it. Brilliant! It's the best idea indeed.

    sot l'y laisse or oyster fowl

    Cooking on a Budget: Cheaper Cuts of Chicken

    They're rather large - so large that, by rule of thumb, we usually have 3 per person and they can be each cut into 3.  They resemble pig's cheeks (joues de porc), another interesting ingredient for spicy dishes.

    What do they have in common? They're so much cheaper and just as tender as lamb in a slow-cooked casserole.

    large black bowl containing a stew, semolina with green coriander leaves and bright red pomegranate seeds
    Decorate also with pomegranate seeds

    What do you Eat With Chicken Tagine?

    Serve this Chicken Tagine with medium sized semolina (couscous), toasted flakes almonds and fresh coriander leaves. Fresh pomegranate seeds are also delicious and add an extra crunchy texture. It's also pretty as well as healthy - they look like gleaming red jewels.

    For the semolina:

    • Use about 100g (3.5oz) semolina per person with the same amount of water and cook according to packet instructions.
    • So for 4 portions, use 400g (14oz) of semolina, tossed in a tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper and 400ml of liquid: water topped with 2 teaspoons of Moroccan orange blossom water and mixed with a handful of golden sultanas, then heat.

    Original Accompaniment for Tagines

    What? Serve with a mini savoury macarons? Spot the mini cumin spiced macaron? It's one of my savoury macarons from Mad About Macarons which uses mainly cumin and is ideal for serving before or during a fun spicy evening.
    It's a taste sensation that tickles the senses: pop in a mini mac and hit the cayenne spice then the second that follows, the (reduced) sugar in the macaron shells put out the fire. Taste it and see!

    chicken-prune-tagine-couscous

    Can You Freeze It?

    Absolutely! This is a great dish for entertaining. Prepare it in advance - even the day before. What's more, it freezes well. If intending to make this ahead of time and freeze, make this without the prunes then cool and freeze. Once defrosted thoroughly, add the prunes and reheat.

    Add the rest of the accompaniments (mentioned above) and it's a make-ahead recipe that's incredibly handy - it means you can spend the extra time saved making dessert.

    What's Best to Serve for Dessert after a Tagine?

    No need for a heavy dessert afterwards, either. The best dessert following this? Sliced juicy table oranges, with a hint of orange blossom water and more grilled almonds - so save some almonds aside for later. We had this as a dessert often when on holiday in Morocco.

    What about a orange and prune macaron? (I have the recipe in my first book, Mad About Macarons!). Any dessert with a hint of orange would be ideal. This is by far my favourite after it: White chocolate mousse with orange blossom and rose.

    turkey prune tagine
    Cumin and have a spicy winter warmer with a wee savoury macaron!

    Chicken Tagine Recipe with Prunes

    Based on a lamb tagine with prunes but made with chicken or oyster fowl instead.

    prune tagine of chicken or turkey with toasted almonds and cone of semolina in background

    Chicken Tagine with Prunes

    Jill Colonna
    A lightly spiced chicken tagine with prunes, served with orange blossom and sultana semolina and topped with toasted almonds and fresh coriander - perfect winter comfort food. Savoury macarons optional!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 2 hours hrs
    Course Main, Main Course
    Cuisine French, Moroccan
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 614 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 1.2 kg (2lb 12oz) chicken breasts or whole chicken cut into 12 pieces (or oyster fowl)
    • 75 g (5 tbsp) plain flour T45
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • 5 cloves garlic peeled & grated
    • 5 cm piece fresh ginger grated
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you like it hot!)
    • 2 tablespoon ground cumin
    • 1 tablespoon 4-spices powder (cloves, cinnamon, ginger, pepper)
    • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 600 ml (1 pint) chicken stock
    • sprig fresh thyme
    • 3 tomatoes chopped (or ½ tin chopped tomatoes)
    • 24 juicy Agen prunes (without stones)*
    • Pinch saffron ground or strands (optional)

    Tagine Garnish

    • 25 g (1oz/ 1 tbsp) almond slivers toasted under grill, for garnish
    • 1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves for garnish
    • pomegranate seeds (optional)

    Instructions
     

    • Coat the chicken in flour and fry in olive oil in a large non-stick casserole dish. When browned on all sides, strain and remove from the pot. Keep aside on a plate. Add the grated garlic, ginger and cayenne, frying for a minute. Add the rest of the spices and fry for a further minute.
    • Add the chicken back to the pot with the chicken stock and thyme.
      Cover and cook on low heat for at least an hour. 
    • After an hour, add the tomatoes, prunes (and saffron, if using). Cook for a further 30 minutes. Prepare the semolina, as per packet instructions and serve with toasted almond slivers and the fresh coriander leaves.

    Notes

    The prunes can be replaced by dried apricots - works very well with the chicken.
    Tagine Serving Suggestions
    • Serve with semolina (100g per person/100ml water including a tablespoon orange blossom water, a tablespoon olive oil for 6, pepper, salt, olive oil), prepare as of packet instructions and add a knob of butter when reheating.
    • Goes well with a Moroccan red wine (we love 'Tandem', a syrah fruity/peppery red made as a joint effort by Alain Graillot and Ouled Thaleb winery near Casablanca).
    Make Ahead Recipe
    The tagine can be made the day before and reheated before serving.
    Also freezes well in advance. Make the first part without the prunes. Cool, chill & freeze then after defrosting, reheat adding the prunes and continue the rest of the recipe.
    This serves 4 good portions or 6 if for a smaller appetite.
    Keyword chicken tagine recipe, couscous, easy chicken tagine recipe, spicy poultry slowcooked dish, tagine

    This recipe was first published 25 January 2019 but has now been completely updated and made easier to read.

    Love winter warming slow-cooked casseroles? Then try these classic French stews:

    • Blanquette de Veau;
    • Corsican Veal and Pepper Stew;
    • Coq au Vin;

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    Jill Colonna standing in a French patisserie lab holding a giant whisk over an oversized mixer bowl

    Meet Jill Colonna

    Jill is both Scottish and French and author of the book and blog, Mad About Macarons since 2010. Here she shares over 30 years of experience of living the healthy food life with her French family in Paris - via easy recipes and local food guides in France.

    More about Jill

    Reader Interactions

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    1. Cookie

      January 09, 2022 at 4:18 pm

      5 stars
      As a student, I love this healthy cooking on a budget! Makes a change from the traditional idea of dieting with dry chicken and veggies. 🙂

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        January 10, 2022 at 9:20 am

        So happy you like this!

        Reply
    2. Thomasina

      February 03, 2019 at 8:55 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you for reminding me that Tagines exist. My husband hasn't made one for some time and he is the chef in our house. We have always had the lamb Tagine but this recipe looks so good. He doesn't know it yet but we are going to have this for dinner this week. Also I'm looking forward to seeing your recipe for chicken Tagine with olives.

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        February 03, 2019 at 9:42 pm

        Hehe, Thomasina. Sounds like you're excellent at delegating. I need to learn your tips!
        Let me know how you liked it when hubby makes it.

        Reply
    3. Monika Dabrowski

      January 31, 2019 at 8:57 am

      5 stars
      I love a good tagine, especially one that has prunes in it! Polish meat dishes sometimes contain prunes too and I love that. Your recipe looks yummy:)

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        January 31, 2019 at 9:17 am

        I need to try some Polish recipes, then, Monika, as we love prunes too! Thanks so much.

        Reply
    4. Betty

      January 30, 2019 at 5:59 pm

      I adore tagines, Jill! The first time I had one was, interestingly enough, an all vegetable one at a gorgeous restaurant called The Iron Gate Inn in Washington, DC. I ate there several times and I don't remember trying anything else on their menu. Then, I convinced Victor that we had to go have Moroccan food when we were in Paris, as there was a restaurant across the street from our hotel in the 6th. Their tagine with olives and preserved lemon was super, although, they seemed to only be serving it with couscous to their Moroccan customers! All of the obvious tourists (like us), got baguette with it instead! Very odd, to say the least! So, I will look forward to your recipe for that tagine with great interest, as I would love to make it myself and in the meanwhile, I will try and convince Victor that he will not, as he suspects, expire on the spot, if a prune should pass his lips, so I can try out your recipe here!!!!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        January 30, 2019 at 10:54 pm

        You've no idea how much I laughed at the baguette and tourist story in Paris, Betty. Sorry you had to go through that. Also on Victor and prunes. I'm sure you'll both love this one. Just imagine it especially for you as a special from the restaurant and without the baguette!

        Reply
    5. Liz

      January 28, 2019 at 12:15 am

      5 stars
      It is going to get bitterly cold this week. A warm, hearty, spicy entree sounds perfect. Your tagine sounds wonderful!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        January 28, 2019 at 10:07 am

        We make curries throughout the year but somehow the tagine is the real comforter during the bitter winters. Stay cosy, Liz!

        Reply
    6. Christina Conte

      January 26, 2019 at 9:58 pm

      5 stars
      I am embarrassed to admit I've never had a tagine! I even had one that someone gave me and have no clue where it is now! I would love to try using it, and this recipe sounds delish! However, I will say, there's no way we'd find those chicken thigh parts here, even at the butcher. Lucky you that your country's food standards are so high!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        January 26, 2019 at 10:57 pm

        You have to try a tagine, Christina. Goes to show it's a French thing. Don't worry about the cuts. That's why I say in the recipe to use normal chicken breasts or chicken pieces - but if you're in France or see these, don't ignore them. They do exist, it's just up to us to find them when we can as a bonus!

        Reply
      • Cathy

        February 01, 2019 at 6:46 am

        How did you stack your couscous so brilliantly?

        I love the macaroon touch to your meal!

        Tagines with prunes are my favorite... I never tell people I add prunes... they can be so funny about that precious dried fruit here in America.

        Reply
        • Jill Colonna

          February 01, 2019 at 11:06 am

          You made me laugh about the prunes. I always get some comment at home about them but when I add them, they're even asking for second helpings - and another few prunes! Thanks for the macaron compliment. Aha - on the stacking, it was a last-minute idea for the photo: I used a plastic kitchen funnel (for decanting jams, for example), just packed in the couscous and upturned it. Couldn't believe it worked!

          Reply
    7. Linda

      January 26, 2019 at 10:52 am

      This looks great and beautifully simple - and I'm a great prune fan. In fact I've just finished by breakfast of overnight oats, grated apple, yoghurt, seeds and nuts and prunes! Hadn't heard of the oyster fowl, but I do know from picking clean a chicken carcasse in a thrifty Scottish way that they're very tasty. I did a search for them on UK sites and only found a mention in that well known gourmet haven the Daily Mail. Apparently they appeared on a Master Chef episode this year. I'm not sure my local butcher in...Fochabers will rise to them!

      Reply
      • Jill Colonna

        January 26, 2019 at 4:22 pm

        Thanks, Linda. Easy it certainly is! It will be so interesting to hear if you find butchers who sell this. Really, I'm bowled over by the oyster fowl and makes a super (and cheaper) change. They've had it on sale at our market for so long and only recently dared to find out more about them and cook with them. Wish had discovered them sooner! I linked to Wikipedia above on this - there's an English equivalent but found that the French version was more explanatory.

        Reply

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