CHICKEN AND MERGUEZ TAGINE

Chicken and Merguez Tagine image

Provided by Marc Murphy

Time 1h50m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 26

Ingredients

1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large or 3 medium carrots, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick coins
1 large yellow onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
One 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained
1 pound merguez sausage, cut into 2-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups unsalted chicken broth, heated, or more as needed
1/2 cup pitted green olives
1/2 preserved lemon, skin only, julienned
2 cups couscous
1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup toasted almond slices
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Steps:

For the spice mix: In a small bowl, add the cumin, paprika, turmeric, coriander, ginger, cayenne and cinnamon. Stir to combine and set aside.
For the tagine: Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium-high heat until hot, then add the chicken, skin-side down, and sear until browned on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, place a large, family-sized cast-iron tagine on a low heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil plus the spice mix. Cook until the spices have bloomed and the oil is hot, 2 to 3 minutes, then add the carrots and onions and allow them to slightly soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chickpeas, sausage, garlic and seared chicken. Carefully add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Nestle in the olives and preserved lemon, then lower the heat and cover the tagine. Continue cooking over low heat for about 1 hour. Add more chicken broth slowly if needed (see Cook's Note).
For the couscous: Meanwhile, in a large metal bowl add the couscous, raisins, olive oil, turmeric and salt and mix together.
Bring the broth to a boil, then add to the couscous until it is covered and the liquid is a little more than 1/2 inch above the couscous. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit until the liquid is absorbed, preferably in a warm part of the kitchen, 10 to 15 minutes.
Pour the couscous onto a very large platter. Remove the chicken from the tagine to a work surface. Pour the vegetables from the tagine around the couscous. Put the chicken on top of the vegetables and garnish the whole platter with the toasted almonds and parsley.