Description
This Moroccan chicken with fennel and olives is a vibrant and healthy one-pan meal bursting with warm spices, tangy lemon, and fresh herbs. Tender chicken thighs simmer in a fragrant sauce of turmeric, cumin, coriander, and vegetable stock with sweet fennel and juicy tomatoes. Served alongside wholewheat couscous mixed with chickpeas, this dish is a perfect balance of flavors, textures, and nutrition for a wholesome weeknight dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Produce
- ½ lemon
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced, fronds reserved
- thumb-sized piece ginger, finely chopped
- 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
- generous handful coriander, chopped, plus extra to serve
Meat
- 4 skinless chicken thigh fillets, halved and any fat trimmed
Pantry
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- ½ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 400ml hot vegetable stock, made with 2 tsp bouillon powder
- 6 Kalamata or green olives, pitted and halved
- 70g wholewheat couscous
- 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Instructions
- Prepare the lemon: Squeeze the juice from half a lemon into a bowl and set aside. Cut the lemon in two, remove the pith from one half, and chop the rind into small pieces for later use.
- Sauté aromatics: Heat rapeseed oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion, thinly sliced fennel (reserve the fronds for garnish), chopped ginger, and garlic. Cook gently until the vegetables are soft and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
- Brown the chicken: Add the halved, trimmed chicken thigh fillets to the pan. Fry for a few minutes until the chicken is just browned on all sides but not fully cooked through.
- Add spices and stock: Stir in the chopped lemon rind along with turmeric, ground cumin, and ground coriander. Pour in the hot vegetable stock made from bouillon powder. Mix well to combine, then cover the pan and let everything simmer gently for 25 minutes to infuse flavors and tenderize the chicken.
- Incorporate tomatoes and olives: After simmering, add the tomato wedges, halved olives, chopped coriander, and half of the reserved lemon juice to the pan. Continue cooking uncovered for another 5 minutes until the fennel is tender, chicken is cooked through, and the sauce has reduced slightly.
- Prepare couscous and chickpeas: While the chicken simmers, cook the wholewheat couscous according to the package instructions. Once cooked, fluff it with a fork and stir in the drained and rinsed chickpeas for added protein and texture.
- Adjust seasoning and serve: Add more lemon juice to the chicken tagine to taste for brightness. Serve the chicken and fennel tagine alongside the couscous and chickpeas. Garnish with extra chopped coriander and reserved fennel fronds for a fresh finish.
Notes
- Using skinless chicken thighs ensures tenderness and richer flavor.
- Wholewheat couscous adds extra fiber compared to regular couscous.
- Reserve fennel fronds to add a slight anise flavor and fresh garnish.
- This dish is perfect for meal prep and reheats well.
- Adjust lemon juice amounts to your preference for tanginess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Keywords: Moroccan chicken, fennel, olives, tagine, wholewheat couscous, chickpeas, healthy dinner, spiced chicken
