at home
chicken
braised
chickpeas
feed a crowd
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This yummy meal was inspired by a trip Rach and John took to Morocco for her sister Maria's birthday. 

SHORTCUT ALERT: Don't have time to make your own? Swap in spicy apricot-harissa. 

For more recipes inspired by Rach's travels, check out her Moroccan Nachos and these Moroccan Baked Chicken Thighs.

Ingredients

For the Harissa-Apricot Paste:
  • 2 tablespoons harissa paste
  • 3 tablespoons all-fruit apricot spread
  • 1 tablespoon thick/aged balsamic vinegar or balsamic drizzle 
  • About ½ tablespoon or 1½ teaspoons ground cumin (½ palmful)
  • About ½ tablespoon or 1½ teaspoons ground coriander (½ palmful)
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika 
  • ½ teaspoon smoked cinnamon or ground cinnamon
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves or ground allspice (a pinch)
For the chicken and marinade:
  • 10 to 12 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken (thighs, drumsticks, and breasts halved crosswise)
  • Zest of 1 large lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 4 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • Salt and pepper
For preparing the dish:
  • Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 1 leek, cleaned and sliced
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • Salt and pepper
  • About ⅓ cup Harissa-Apricot Paste
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste 
  • 1½ cups chicken stock or bone broth
  • 1¼ cups pearl (large) couscous
  • One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 cup combined chopped fresh mint, cilantro and parsley 

Yield

Serves: 4 to 6

Preparation

For the Harissa-Apricot Paste, combine all ingredients.

For the chicken and marinade, combine and chill several hours or overnight.

Heat a tagine bottom or Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat with EVOO, two turns of the pan, and brown the chicken skin-side down first about 6 minutes on each side, working in 2 batches to avoid crowding pan.

Remove browned and crispy skinned chicken to a plate. Add leeks, onions, crushed garlic to the chicken drippings and let soften with salt and pepper. Add Harissa-Apricot Paste and stir, cover with the lid and allow to sweat about 3 minutes. Remove the lid and stir in tomato paste and add stock or bone broth. Let the liquid come up to a simmer, about 5 minutes. Add couscous and chickpeas, stir and nestle the chicken back into the pan, bring back up to a simmer and cover. Let cook for 15 minutes at a simmer.

To serve, add the juice of 1 lemon and top with herbs.