Ingredients
1 kg (21⁄4 pounds) chicken thighs, skinned
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
125ml (1⁄2 cup) dry white wine finely grated zest of 1 large orange
125g (3⁄4 cup) ready-to-eat dried apricots, cut into quarters
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander, to garnish
For the marinade:
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1⁄2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 small red chilli, seeded and chopped finely
125 ml (1⁄2 cup) orange juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
Preparation
This recipe can also be made with diced leg of lamb, in which case allow another hour for cooking.
To serve: plain steamed couscous or boiled plain long-grain rice
To make the marinade, mix all the marinade ingredients in a large flat dish such as a Le Creuset gratin dish. Add the chicken thighs and turn them in the marinade so they are well coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
Heat the oil in the tagine base over medium heat on the hob. Add the onion and fry gently until it is just beginning to brown; remove from the pan.
Drain the chicken, discarding the marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Add the chicken pieces to the tagine and fry until they are evenly brown.
Return the onion to the tagine with the sugar, wine, and orange zest. Stir well and add a little more salt and pepper.
Cover with the tagine lid and simmer over very low heat for 11⁄2 hours.
Add the apricots, re-cover, and continue simmering for 11⁄2 hours until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
When the chicken is cooked, remove the lid and boil the sauce for a few minutes until it becomes syrupy.
Sprinkle liberally with the chopped coriander and serve with plain steamed couscous, or boiled, plain long-grain rice.
