Chicken tajine (tagine) with cumin, paprika and cardamom

A “tajine” (or tagine) is a dish named for the pot in which it was cooked. The pot is popularly used in Northern African cooking (Moroccan, especially). My husband gave me this tajine recently and this was the first dish I cooked in it.

If you don’t have a tajine, you can still cook this dish in any heavy pot with a thick bottom and a cover that fits snugly. The important thing is to allow as little steam to escape as the chicken is meant to cook very slowly mostly in its own juices.

I chose very traditional Moroccan spices to go with my chicken — cumin, paprika and cardamon. Plus, a stick of cinnamon. You can experiment with other spices.

This recipe is good for 3 to 4 persons.

Ingredients:

6 chicken thighs
2 to 3 tbsps. of olive oil
salt
1 tsp. each of cumin, paprika and cardamom
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 c. of yogurt
1/2 c. of sweet peas
1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
juice of one lemon, to garnish

Rub the chicken with some salt.

Heat the olive oil in the tajine.

Add the chicken and cook over medium heat on both sides just until they change color.

Add the spices…

… the yogurt…

… and the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt. Cover the tajine, turn down the heat to the lowest setting and allow the chicken to cook very slowly for about 40 minutes.

Squeeze a lemon over the chicken and vegetables before serving.

Enjoy the stew with pita bread or rice.