Quinoa & CouscousMoroccanEasy

Slow Cooker Chicken Tagine with Couscous

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Bone-in chicken thighs slowly simmer with ras el hanout, tomatoes, chickpeas, carrots and sweet apricots until fork-tender, then get a finish of briny green olives and lemon. Spoon it over fluffy buttered couscous for an easy Moroccan-style dinner.

Prep
30 min
Cook
6 hr 34 min
Wait
5 min
Total
7 hr 9 min
Makes
6 servings (about 8 chicken thighs with sauce and 4½ cups cooked couscous)
Save to My KitchenJump to recipe
Share

Steps

Before you start
  • Use a 6-quart (5.7 L) slow cooker. A smaller one will crowd the chicken and the sauce will not cover the vegetables properly.
  • Plan about 7 hours from start to table: roughly 35 minutes of prep and browning, 6 hours on LOW, then a 15-minute finish.
  • Pat the chicken thoroughly dry with paper towels so it browns instead of steaming.
  • Use instant (fine) couscous, not pearl/Israeli couscous, which needs a different cooking method.
  • Check that your ras el hanout is fresh (it should smell warmly floral and spicy). Old spice blends taste dusty and flat.

  1. Prep the ingredients

    • Slice the onions, mince the garlic, grate the ginger, cut the carrots into ½-inch (1.25 cm) rounds, halve the apricots and olives, and drain and rinse the chickpeas.
    • Keep the olives and cilantro separate because they go in at the end.
    • Pat the chicken thighs very dry with paper towels.
    + Show details

    Ready when: Everything is cut, measured and within reach of the stove.

    Tip: Cutting the carrots no thinner than ½ inch keeps them from turning to mush over 6 hours.

  2. Brown the chicken

    • Season the chicken all over with 1 tsp of the kosher salt.
    • Heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
    • Place half the thighs skin-side down and cook undisturbed for 5–6 minutes, then flip and cook 2 minutes more.
    • Move to a plate and repeat with the remaining thighs.
    • The chicken will not be cooked through, and that is fine.
    + Show details

    Ready when: Skin is deep golden brown and releases easily from the pan.

    Tip: Do not crowd the pan. Overcrowded thighs steam and the skin stays pale and rubbery.

  3. Sauté the aromatics

    • Pour off all but about 1 tbsp of fat from the skillet (add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil if the pan is dry).
    • Reduce heat to medium, add the onions and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
    • Stir in the garlic, ginger, ras el hanout and tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the paste darkens slightly and the spices smell fragrant.
    + Show details

    Ready when: Onions are soft and translucent with golden edges; spices smell toasty, not burnt.

    Tip: If the spices start to stick or scorch, add a splash of the broth right away.

  4. Make the sauce and load

    • Pour the chicken broth into the skillet and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom.
    • Stir in the crushed tomatoes, honey and ¾ tsp salt, and bring to a bare simmer.
    • Put the carrots, chickpeas, apricots and cinnamon stick in the slow cooker and stir to combine.
    • Pour the sauce over, then nestle the chicken on top, skin-side up, so the skin stays above the liquid.
    + Show details

    Ready when: Sauce is steaming and well blended; the chicken sits mostly above the liquid.

    Tip: Don't add extra liquid. The chicken and vegetables release juices as they cook.

  5. Slow cook the tagine

    • Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours (or HIGH for 3 to 3½ hours).
    • Avoid lifting the lid, since every peek adds about 15 minutes to the cooking time.
    + Show details

    Ready when: Chicken registers at least 175°F (80°C) in the thickest part away from the bone and pulls easily from the bone; carrots are tender when pierced with a fork.

    Tip: Thighs are safe at 165°F (74°C) but taste best and are most tender at 175°F (80°C).

  6. Finish with olives and lemon

    • Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate.
    • Spoon off any fat floating on the surface of the sauce and remove the cinnamon stick.
    • Stir in the olives and lemon juice, then return the chicken to the cooker.
    • Cover and cook on HIGH for 15 minutes so the olives warm through and flavor the sauce.
    • Taste the sauce and add a pinch of salt if needed.
    + Show details

    Ready when: Sauce is hot and bubbling gently at the edges, with a bright, tangy aroma.

    Tip: Adding the olives at the end keeps them firm and prevents the whole dish from turning bitter and too salty.

  7. Steam the couscous

    • About 10 minutes before serving, put the couscous, the ½ tsp fine salt and the butter in a medium heatproof bowl.
    • Pour the 1½ cups (360 ml) boiling water over it, stir once, and cover tightly with a lid or plate.
    • Let stand for 5 minutes, then fluff thoroughly with a fork, breaking up any clumps.
    + Show details

    Ready when: All the water is absorbed and the grains are tender, separate and fluffy.

    Tip: Make sure the water is at a full boil when poured. Lukewarm water gives gummy couscous.

  8. Garnish and serve

    • Spoon the couscous onto a large platter or into 6 shallow bowls.
    • Top with the chicken thighs and ladle the sauce, chickpeas, carrots, apricots and olives over and around them.
    • Scatter with the cilantro and toasted almonds, if using, and serve hot.
    + Show details

    Ready when: Chicken is hot, the sauce is glossy, and the couscous is fluffy.

    Tip: For crisper skin, place the thighs skin-side up under a hot broiler for 2–3 minutes before serving, watching closely.

Good to know

Tips
  • Brown the chicken skin-side down without moving it; the deep color adds a lot of flavor that a slow cooker cannot create on its own.
  • Taste the finished sauce before serving. Olives and broth vary in saltiness, so adjust with a pinch of salt or an extra squeeze of lemon.
  • If the sauce is thinner than you'd like, remove the chicken, then cook the sauce uncovered on HIGH for 15–20 minutes to reduce.
  • Keep the chicken skin above the liquid and serve it skin-side up; the skin will be soft rather than crisp, so use the optional broiler step for crunch.
Make ahead

Brown the chicken and sauté the aromatics up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate them separately, then assemble in the slow cooker cold and add 30 minutes to the cook time. You can also cook the tagine fully, cool it, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Reheat gently and make the couscous fresh.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Refrigerator: store the tagine and couscous in separate airtight containers for up to 3 days. Freezer: freeze the tagine (without couscous) for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat the tagine in a covered pot over medium-low heat for 10–15 minutes, or microwave until steaming hot (165°F/74°C), adding a splash of broth or water if thick. Reheat couscous with a spoonful of water, covered, in the microwave for 1 minute, then fluff.

Substitutions
  • ras el hanout → 1 tbsp ground cumin, 2 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp ground turmeric and ½ tsp cayenne. Mix to approximate the blend; the flavor will be a bit less floral but still warmly spiced.
  • bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 2 lb / 900 g). Skip the browning if you like, and cook on LOW for 4 to 5 hours until they reach 175°F (80°C).
  • dried apricots → pitted prunes or golden raisins. Use the same amount; prunes give a deeper, jammier sweetness.
  • instant couscous → cooked quinoa or basmati rice. Use 4½ cups cooked; serve the same way.
chickenchickpeascouscousdinnermake-aheadmoroccanslow cookertagine

Reviews (0)