Moroccan Tagine of Chicken and Chickpeas

  • 2 cups chickpeas; soaked overnight
  • 1 lb. raw chicken meat; breast and thighs cut into chunks
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • 2 large onions; medium dice
  • 3 stalks celery; medium dice
  • 3 medium carrots; medium dice
  • 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
  • ¼ tsp. ground coriander
  • ¼ tsp. cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. turmeric
  • ¼ tsp. cardamom
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic; minced
  • 2 tbsp. fresh ginger; peeled and minced
  • 1 quart homemade chicken stock
  • Juice from one lemon
  • 2 tbsp. arrowroot mixed with 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup parsley; washed, dried, and chopped

In a medium stock pot; place chickpeas and enough water to cover by a few inches. Bring to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Gently cook until tender, drain, and set aside. In a large sauté pan over high heat, add oil and allow it to become shimmery. Add pieces of chicken spaced ½” apart and allow it to brown before flipping each piece over. Cook chicken in batches if necessary, set aside pieces after browning. In the same pan, cook onions and celery in oil until tender. Add carrots and cook until softened. Add spices, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper, and cook until very fragrant. Add chicken stock to deglaze the pan, being sure to scrape all browned bits from the bottom. Add pieces of chicken back in, and simmer everything together. Add lemon juice and bring mixture to a boil. Whisk in arrowroot mixture to thicken and remove from heat. Add chickpeas and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

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