Shake up chicken dinner by using some different seasonings—fenugreek and turmeric in this Moroccan tagine, which is really just a simmered melange of chicken and lentils served over chunks of crusty sourdough. You don’t need a special tagine cooker, any covered Dutch oven or enameled casserole (Le Creuset, Emile Henry) will work great, you simply want to retain moisture during cooking.
Chicken and Lentil Tagine
adapted from original by Kitty Morse, Cooking at the Kasbah
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp avocado or olive oil
- 2 onions, sliced
- 1 tomato or ¼ cup diced Pomi tomatoes, drained
- 6 chicken thighs with bone and skin
- 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 ½ teaspoons Kosher salt
- 4 cups water
- 1-inch bundle cilantro stems, tied with kitchen twine
- ¼ cup fenugreek seeds or 1 tablespoon ground fenugreek
- ¾ cup dry lentils, rinsed and drained
- 6 cups day-old sourdough bread (or other bakery loaf with crisp crust), torn into bite-sized chunks
Instructions
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In medium Dutch oven or tagine, heat the oil and cook the onions, tomato, chicken, pepper, turmeric, and salt until onions are softened, about 5–8 minutes. Add the water, fenugreek, and cilantro bundle. Bring to boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 40 minutes then add the lentils and continue cooking until they are tender, about 20 more minutes.
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While tagine is cooking, scatter sourdough on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and toast in a 350° oven for 10 or 15 minutes until hot and beginning to get crispy at edges.
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Prior to serving, discard the cilantro bundle. At the table, pass the bread pieces, then ladle chicken, lentils and broth over the top.
