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Robin Ward

Chicken Braised with Apricots and Harissa

A Tunisian‑style chicken, marinated overnight in mild harissa and tabil spices, then braised in a roasting pan with carrots, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and sweet apricots. Juicy, smoky‑sweet, and easy to prepare — always a crowd‑pleaser.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Course: dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: #Mediterranian, Tunesian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Requires overnight marinating
For the Tebil:
  • 2 Tbsp ground coriander
  • 1¼ tsp turmeric
  • ½ tsp caraway seeds, ground
  • ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the chicken:
  • 8 about 3 lbs. bone-in, skin-on-chicken thighs
  • Kosher salt
  • 3-4 Tbsp mild harissa paste
  • 3 Tbsp ghee or extra virgin olive oil (or homemade cardamom ghee)
  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 2 Carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal into ¾‑inch pieces
  • 8 garlic cloves, peeled and left whole
  • 1 cup crushed tomatoes (canned or fresh)
  • 1 cup chicken stock or water
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup dried apricots
  • 1 tsp ground cumin (added toward the end of roasting)
For Serving:
  • Cilantro leaves
  • Garlic and Herbed Labne
  • Steamed couscous, pearl couscous, or rice
  • naan or pita breads

Equipment

  • large skillet
  • 9x13-inch baking dish

Method
 

  1. Make the tabil spice blend by stirring together coriander, turmeric, caraway, and black pepper in a small bowl.
  2. The day before cooking, season the chicken generously on both sides with kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal). In a medium bowl, mash together the harissa paste and about half of the tabil. Add the chicken and use your hands to coat it evenly with the spiced harissa paste. Cover and refrigerate overnight, then bring to room temperature before cooking.
  3. Adjust an oven rack to the center position and preheat to 375℉. Set a large nonreactive skillet over medium‑high heat and add the ghee. When the fat shimmers, add the onion, carrots, and garlic. Season lightly with salt and sprinkle in the remaining tabil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender, glossy, and just beginning to take on color, about 10 minutes.
  4. Add the tomatoes and chicken stock and stir to deglaze, then let the mixture return to a boil.
  5. Transfer the vegetable and tomato mixture into a 9x13‑inch baking dish. Layer in the bay leaves and cilantro stems*. Arrange the chicken thighs, skin‑side down, on top of the bed of aromatics, then nestle the apricots around the chicken. The braising liquid should come about halfway up the sides of the chicken; if it falls short, add a splash of water or stock to make up the difference. Lay a piece of parchment over the chicken, then seal the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
  6. Transfer to the oven and cook until the chicken is completely tender and shows no resistance when pierced with a sharp knife, about 1½ hours.
  7. When the chicken is completely tender, adjust the oven rack to the highest position and increase the temperature to 425℉. Remove the foil and parchment from the pan, then flip the chicken thighs so they sit skin‑side up. As you flip the thighs, sprinkle the cumin into the braising liquid.
  8. Return the baking dish to the oven and cook the chicken until the liquid is nicely reduced and the skins r crisp and golden brown, 12 to 20 minutes longer.
  9. To serve, use tongs to gently arrange the chicken in a rimmed serving dish or shallow bowl. Discard the bay leaves and cilantro stems (if used). Discard some of the grease if desired. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the braising juices with salt as needed, then spoon the apricots and braising juices over the chicken. Garnish with cilantro and serve with steamed couscous or rice, garlic‑herb labneh, and flatbreads.
  10. Refrigerate leftover meat, apricots, and braising juices together in a covered container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to a boil before serving.

Notes

Recipe Note: The cilantro stems can be omitted — they have minimal impact on flavor, become stringy when cooked, and must be removed before serving due to their off‑putting texture.