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Ingredients
Serves: 4
Time: 30 minutes
- 6 chicken thighs, skinless, boneless
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp paprika
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 onions
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 300ml good quality chicken stock
- 1 lemon
- 10 dried apricots
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 x 400g tin chickpeas
- 100g pitted green olives
- For the couscous
- 250g couscous
- 100g almond flakes
- large handful of fresh coriander, plus extra to garnish
- large handful of fresh parsley
- Large handful of fresh mint
- 50g pomegranate seeds
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Method
- Cut the chicken thighs into large pieces and add to a bowl with a good glug of olive oil. Add the cumin, turmeric, coriander and paprika. Season with salt and toss everything together to coat the chicken in the spices.
- Place a large casserole over a medium heat and when hot, add the chicken and cook for a few minutes on each side until golden.
- Whilst the chicken cooks, slice the onions and garlic and add to the pan with the chicken. Cook, stirring for a few minutes then stir in the tomato purée and pour in the stock. Bring to the boil.
- Peel the lemon straight into the tagine. Roughly chop the dried apricots and add them along with the cinnamon sticks and olives. Allow the tagine to bubble away while you prepare your couscous.
- Add the couscous into the bowl with the lemon zest then pour over 275ml boiling water. Cover and allow to steam for 10 minutes.
- Place a frying pan over a low heat and add the almond flakes, toasting until golden.
- Now roughly chop all of the herbs. Using a fork, fluff up the couscous and season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Stir through most of the almonds, pomegranate seeds, squeeze of lemon juice and herbs and mix until well combined. Place into a serving dish and garnish with the remaining almonds, herbs and the pomegranate seeds.
- Drain the chickpeas and add to the tagine along with the olives, allowing everything to cook for a few minutes to warm through then serve alongside the couscous, garnished with some extra coriander leaves.