Chicken and Chickpea Tagine

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 large onion, sliced
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• to taste salt
• pinch nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• pinch cayenne
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 8 cups roma tomatoes
• 4 cups chickpeas (canned are fine; drain and rinse first)
• 1 cups pitted dates
• 1 cup pitted green olives
• 1 vanilla bean
• 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• to taste chopped cilantro or parsley leaves

Instructions

1. Season the boneless skinless chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Put oil and butter in a large skillet or casserole over medium-high heat. When butter melts, add the chicken pieces and brown them on all sides, about 5 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
2. Add onion to the same pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, 5 to 10 minutes.
3. Add garlic, a large pinch of salt and spices. Cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds.
4. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, raisins, green olives, and vanilla, and bring to a boil. (If mixture is very dry, add about 1/2 cup water.) Taste, and add salt as necessary.
5. Nestle the browned chicken pieces back into the sauce. Cover, and adjust heat so mixture simmers steadily.
6. Cook until chicken is very tender, at least 20 to 30 minutes but can go for over an hour. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Then garnish, and serve with couscous.