Chicken
Apricot & Olive Chicken Braise
Chicken thighs simmer with onion, dried apricots, olives, ginger, and cinnamon in a light sauce, served over couscous.
Inspired by North African-inspired sweet-savory chicken braises
Prep
20 min
Cook
40 min
Serves
4 servings
Difficulty
Medium
Pantry match
Uses the current servings and temporary recipe changes.
Missing 16 ingredients
- • 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- • 1 tablespoon olive oil
- • 1 onion, thinly sliced
- • 2 garlic cloves, minced
- • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- • 1/2 cup dried apricots, halved
- • 1/3 cup pitted green olives, rinsed
- • 1 cup dry couscous
- • 1 cup water
- • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
View ingredient-by-ingredient match
- 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighsMissing
- 1 tablespoon olive oilMissing
- 1 onion, thinly slicedMissing
- 2 garlic cloves, mincedMissing
- 1 tablespoon grated gingerMissing
- 1 teaspoon ground cuminMissing
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamonMissing
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher saltMissing
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepperMissing
- 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken brothMissing
- 1/2 cup dried apricots, halvedMissing
- 1/3 cup pitted green olives, rinsedMissing
- 1 cup dry couscousMissing
- 1 cup waterMissing
- 1 tablespoon lemon juiceMissing
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsleyMissing
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Method
Recipe notes
This home braise is inspired by North African sweet-savory combinations without claiming a traditional tagine method. Dried apricots soften in broth and provide sweetness without an added syrup, while rinsed olives supply contrast. Gentle simmering suits thighs better than a hard boil, and a thermometer confirms poultry doneness.
Planning, storage, and serving
Storage and reheating
Refrigerate chicken and sauce within two hours and use within 3 days, storing couscous separately. Reheat chicken to 165 F and heat the grain thoroughly; freeze the braise in portions up to two months.
Make-ahead tips
Slice onion, measure spices, and halve apricots a day ahead. The cooked braise reheats well; prepare couscous separately and add a fresh share of the measured parsley at serving.
What to serve with it
- - Roasted carrots
- - Cucumber lemon salad
- - Steamed green beans
Equipment needed
- - Wide lidded braising pan
- - Couscous saucepan
- - Tongs and instant-read thermometer
Difficulty explained
A short browning stage builds flavor, then the chicken simmers gently while couscous hydrates; the main judgment is keeping a spoonable sauce.
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Nutrition facts
Updating nutrition…
Alternatives
Apply a reviewed substitution to this temporary working copy. The published recipe stays unchanged.
Browse reviewed options
Boneless skinless chicken breasts
Use the same weight of chicken breasts when a leaner cut is preferred.
Vegetable broth
Use the same amount of a full-flavored low-sodium vegetable broth.
Bottled 100% lemon juice
Use slightly less bottled lemon juice, then adjust after tasting.
Type the ingredient you're missing — we'll find what you can use instead.
Pitfalls to Watch Out For
- Boiling leaner chicken hard throughout the sauce reduction can make it dry and stringy.
- Adding extra salt before tasting olives can over-season a dish that already has a salty component.
- Reducing the sauce to a dry glaze loses the intended gentle braise and makes dried fruit catch on the pan.
Nutrition Context
- The estimate includes chicken thighs, apricots, olives, sauce, measured oil, and one quarter of the dry couscous.
- Dried fruit supplies naturally concentrated sugar and couscous is wheat; broth and olives influence sodium even after rinsing.
FAQ
Do I need a tagine?
No. This accessible version uses a wide lidded pan and does not claim a traditional tagine method.
Are apricots sweetened?
Choose plain dried apricots without added syrup for the stated ingredient and estimate.
Why rinse olives?
It reduces surface brine and helps keep the final sauce easier to season.
Can I use bone-in thighs?
They need a longer simmer and different portion weights; always check 165 F in the meat away from bone.
Can I freeze the braise?
Yes. Chill promptly and freeze chicken and sauce together, keeping couscous separate for better texture.
What sides pair best with this dish?
Good pairings include Roasted carrots; Cucumber lemon salad; Steamed green beans. Choose one or two based on how substantial you want the meal to be.