Name: Chicken and Chickpea Tagine with Vanilla
Prep time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg; Salt to taste; 1 large onion, thinly sliced; 2 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tablespoons neutral oil, like corn or grapeseed; 2 tablespoons butter; ½ teaspoon black pepper; Pinch of cayenne; 4 cups cooked chickpeas (canned are fine; drain and rinse first); 1½ to 2 cups chopped tomatoes (drained canned are fine); ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; ½ cup raisins or chopped pitted dates; ½ vanilla bean; 8 chicken thighs or 4 leg-thigh pieces, cut in 2; Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley leaves for garnish

Preparation info

Makes
4
servings

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
1 hr

Appears in

The Best Recipes in the World

By Mark Bittman

Published 2005

About

This tagine is similar to the preceding Chicken and Lentil Tagine but, with the addition of dates and vanilla, far more exotic. My version of this tagine may not compare with those that begin with toasting and grinding spices and peeling grapes, but it’s easily executed (especially since the chicken is not browned first, which spares the cook a fair amount of time and energy) and, I think, quite divine.

Some things to look out for: First, work with darkmeat chicken only. In Morocco,