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Express Chicken Tagine

Name: Express Chicken Tagine
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 2 unit garlic; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1.5 tsp ground cumin; 0.5 tsp cinnamon; 1 pinch cayenne pepper; 0.5 cup chicken broth; 2 tbsp dried apricots or raisins; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 cup fresh cilantro

Craving exotic flavors but only have 20 minutes? This zesty chicken stew is the shortcut you need.

Total: 20 min
Prep: 5 min
Cook: 15 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: easy
Calories: 366
Cost: $/serving

When you're exhausted after a long day, the last thing you want to do is spend hours hovering over a simmering pot. This Express Chicken Tagine gives you all those deep, complex Moroccan flavors—like warm ginger, earthy cumin, and sweet dried fruit—without the multi-hour prep time of a traditional slow-cooked stew. We've streamlined the process by using smaller pieces of chicken so they sear quickly and soak up the spice rub instantly. It creates a rich, fragrant broth that feels like a deep culinary hug in a bowl. The standout is the hit of warm spices against the sweetness of the raisins; it’s sophisticated but incredibly easy to pull together. Serve it over some quick couscous or with crusty bread for a dinner that looks and tastes much more impressive than the 20 minutes it actually took to make.

Ingredients

1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs — cut into bite-sized pieces
2 unit garlic — minced
1 tsp ground ginger
1.5 tsp ground cumin
0.5 tsp cinnamon
1 pinch cayenne pepper — adjust for heat
0.5 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp dried apricots or raisins
1 tsp salt
0.5 cup fresh cilantro — chopped for garnish

Method

1 Pat the chicken dry and toss in a large skillet or heavy-bottomed pot with the garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, and salt.
2 Heat the pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and sear until browned on all sides (about 5-7 minutes).
3 Pour in the chicken broth and add the dried fruit. Bring the mixture to a boil.
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4 Reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 8-10 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the chicken is cooked through.
5 Stir in the cilantro and serve immediately over couscous or with toasted bread.

Variations

Vegetarian Swap — Replace the chicken with 14 oz of extra-firm tofu cubes or chickpeas.
The Pantry Shortcut — Swap fresh cilantro for a teaspoon of dried parsley if you're out of herbs.

Notes

To make this even faster, you can use pre-minced garlic from a jar. If you don't have dried apricots, a handful of raisins provides that essential sweet note.