Slow Cooker Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons, Olives, and Raisins

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Chicken tagine is one of our family's favorite dishes.  The cumin, cinnamon, turmeric and cayenne, ginger and garlic fill the house with a spicy warmth as the Chicken, raisins, olives, carrots, and onions slowly stew together.  It is such an easy meal and adds a nice balance to our regular menu of Asian, Mediterranean, and American fare.  

I first came across this dish at a Moroccan restaurant with my in-laws and was determined to make the meal at home.  It took a number of tries but I think I have figured out just the right recipe to share with you

Tagine comes from the word "tajine" which is a North African piece of stoneware or earthenware used for cooking.  It functions much like a slow cooker in Western cooking in that the food is placed inside and cooked over coals at the lowest temperature possible to retain a simmer or slow boil and allow the spices and flavors to meld together while cooking.

Enjoy this easy, tasty meal!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 Frozen chicken breasts (depending on size sometimes I only use 2)
  • 1 1/2 C baby carrots cut into thirds (I like it to be a bit heavy on the veggies)
  • 1/2 white onion chopped
  • 1 C green olives with some olive juice
  • 2 slice preserved lemon rind only, rinsed, cut in halves
  • 3 -4 garlic cloves fresh or jarred
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 Tbs tomato paste
  • 1 Tbs honey
  • 2/3 C orange juice
  • 2/3 C vegetable broth

DIRECTIONS

  1. In large skillet sauté chopped carrots and onions with some garlic and ginger (additional to what is in recipe list) until onions are translucent and carrots are slightly soft. 
  2. Mix together dry spices, ginger, garlic, honey, tomato paste, orange juice, and vegetable broth so dry spices are fully incorporated
  3. In a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker (larger if you increase recipe size but if not food will burn), combine the chicken, carrots, onion, olives
  4. Add preserved lemons
  5. Pour spice and liquid mixture over chicken, carrots, onion, olives, and lemons
  6. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours (cooking times depend on crockpot, mine is not very warm so often I cook for 8-10 hours).
  7. With 1 -2 hours remaining add raisins.  I find they absorb a lot of liquid if added too early.
  8. If you would like shredded chicken: With 15 -30 minutes remaining remove chicken breasts and shred meat with two forks.  Meat should fall apart.  Return meat to crock pot.
  9. Serve over quinoa, couscous, or rice.