Moroccan Style Chicken With Prunes Recipe
A flavorful Moroccan style chicken dish featuring succulent, spiced chicken thighs cooked with aromatic spices, prunes, and cinnamon, served alongside a fragrant couscous with raisins, prunes, and toasted almonds. This recipe delivers rich and sweet-savory flavors typical of North African cuisine in a comforting stew perfect for a family meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 pounds chicken thighs (bone in and skin on)
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon Ras el Hanout
- Sea salt, to taste
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 onions (thinly sliced)
- 4 garlic cloves (peeled and minced)
Cooking Fats and Liquids
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1½ cups chicken stock
Spices and Flavorings
- 2 cinnamon sticks (for cooking)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- Zest of 1 lemon
Prunes and Sweeteners
- 18 prunes (pitted)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Couscous
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon raisins
- 4 prunes (chopped)
Garnish
- ¼ cup almond slivers (toasted)
- 2 tablespoons cilantro (finely chopped)
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, mix turmeric, ground ginger, black pepper, and Ras el Hanout. Add the chicken thighs and rub the spice blend all over them. Let the chicken rest for about 15 minutes to absorb the flavors.
- Prepare the Prunes: Place sugar, one cinnamon stick, cinnamon powder, and the pitted prunes in a saucepan. Add just enough water to cover the prunes and cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Once cooked, set aside.
- Sauté Onions: In a tagine or large pot with a tight-fitting lid, heat olive oil and unsalted butter over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted and the foam dissipates, add the sliced onions and cook for about 4 minutes until softened.
- Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic with the onions and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Brown the Chicken: Push the cooked onions to the side of the pot and add the chicken thighs skin side down. Season with salt and cook for about 10 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is nicely caramelized.
- Simmer the Stew: Add bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, chicken stock, half of the prunes, and a quarter of the prune cooking juices. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes until the chicken is tender and infused with the flavors.
- Toast Almonds: While the chicken cooks, toast the almond slivers in a dry pan until golden and fragrant. Set aside for garnish.
- Prepare the Couscous: Bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice, butter, raisins, chopped prunes, and couscous. Cover and let it steam for about 5 minutes until fluffy.
- Plate and Garnish: Transfer the chicken stew to a serving platter. Garnish with toasted almond slivers, the remaining prunes, chopped cilantro, and lemon zest.
- Serve: Serve the couscous alongside the chicken, drizzling some of the chicken’s cooking juices around it for extra flavor.
Notes
- Using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs enriches the stew with deep flavor and moisture.
- Ras el Hanout is a Moroccan spice blend; if unavailable, a mix of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and paprika can be used.
- To toast almonds, simply heat a dry skillet over medium heat and stir frequently until golden.
- For a vegetarian adaptation, substitute chicken thighs with hearty vegetables or plant-based protein and use vegetable stock.
- Ensure the pot or tagine lid fits tightly to retain steam for tender chicken.
- Prunes add a lovely sweetness that balances the savory spices beautifully.
Keywords: Moroccan chicken, chicken with prunes, Moroccan stew, Ras el Hanout chicken, couscous recipe, North African cuisine