Chicken and prune tagine with pistachio couscous

This chicken and prune tagine recipe uses a clever technique by incorporating a small quantity of powdered gelatine into the braising liquid for the sauce. Commercial liquid stocks rarely contain naturally occurring gelatine, so adding powdered gelatine helps mimic the richness of homemade stock, resulting in a richer and more velvety mouthfeel to the sauce.

• serves

  4

• prep

  5 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

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episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

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Ingredients

• 6 chicken thigh cutlets
• salt and black pepper
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
• 2 brown onions, thickly sliced
• 2 cm x 3 cm piece ginger, finely sliced
• 1 large pinch saffron
• 1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock
• 1 tsp powdered gelatine
• 1 tsp ras el hanout (or baharat or garam masala)
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 carrots, cut into ½ cm rounds
• 12 pitted prunes
• ½ cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• ½ cup thick yoghurt, to serve

For the couscous

• 1 cup (250 ml) chicken stock
• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 2 cups couscous
• ½ lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp (40 ml) olive oil
• 1 cup pistachios, toasted

• ¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Marinating time 20 minutes

Instructions

1. Place the chicken cutlets in a large bowl and sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, pepper and turmeric and rub well to coat. Set aside for 20 minutes or longer. Heat the oil in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Fry the chicken, skin-side down without disturbing, until golden, then turn and cook until the chicken is well-browned all over. Remove the chicken to a plate.
   
2. Return the pan to the heat with the onion and ginger and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until the onion is softened. Return the chicken to the pan with the saffron, stock, gelatine, spices, salt, carrots and prunes and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, then uncovered for a further 10 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked and the sauce has thickened.
   
3. To make the couscous, bring the chicken stock and 1 cup of water to a simmer in a small saucepan, then pour in the couscous. Stir and cover immediately and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fluff with a fork, then stir through the lemon juice, olive oil, pistachios and parsley. Sprinkle the chicken and prune tagine with extra parsley and serve with the couscous and yoghurt. 

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Eating for Good Sleep

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

PG

episode • The Cook Up with Adam Liaw • 

cooking • 

25m

PG