Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Anti-inflammatory Benefits: The combination of turmeric, ginger, and garlic in this recipe offers anti-inflammatory properties that help calm autoimmune flare-ups.
- Nutrient-dense: Bone broth adds a nutrient-packed base, while the chicken provides high-quality protein.
- Flavorful without Nightshades: By replacing non-AIP spices like paprika or chili with AIP-compliant alternatives such as turmeric and cinnamon, you get a warm, spiced flavor without any nightshades.
Whether you’re new to Moroccan food or just looking for AIP-friendly adaptations, this Chicken Moroccan Tagine will become a staple on your autoimmune-friendly meal rotation.
One of the most beautiful aspects of Moroccan cuisine is its ability to bring together bold flavors and aromatic spices to create truly unforgettable dishes. Moroccan food is a feast for the senses—vibrant colors, enticing aromas, and a delightful harmony of sweet, savory, and spicy notes. It’s no wonder that Moroccan tagine has become a celebrated dish worldwide, admired not just for its flavor but for its history and cultural significance.
As someone following the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), you might think that dishes like tagine, traditionally full of nightshades and inflammatory ingredients, are off-limits. However, the beauty of cooking lies in adaptation. This AIP Chicken Moroccan Tagine recipe is the perfect example of how to honor the rich, cultural tradition of Moroccan cuisine while keeping your body in mind and making ingredient swaps that suit an autoimmune-friendly lifestyle.
What is Moroccan Tagine?
At its core, a tagine is more than just a dish—it’s a way of cooking. The name “tagine” refers to both the dish and the conical, clay cooking pot in which it’s prepared. The unique shape of the tagine pot allows for slow cooking, which tenderizes the meat and melds the flavors of the spices, vegetables, and sauces beautifully. A tagine meal is often cooked low and slow, allowing the ingredients to stew in their own juices, producing a rich, flavorful, and hearty meal.
In Moroccan culture, food is meant to be shared, and tagines are often served family-style, with loved ones gathering around the table to enjoy the comforting, flavorful meal together. Whether you’re sitting at a street-side café in Marrakech or enjoying a home-cooked meal in the Atlas Mountains, tagine is a staple of Moroccan dining, reflecting the warmth and hospitality of the country.
Adapting a Moroccan Tagine for AIP
Traditional tagines are filled with ingredients that may not be suitable for someone following the AIP diet. Spices such as paprika and chili, commonly used in Moroccan cooking, are nightshades and can cause inflammation in those with autoimmune conditions. Additionally, tomatoes, a key ingredient in many tagine recipes, are also nightshades and should be avoided on AIP. The challenge, then, is how to replace these flavorful ingredients with AIP-friendly options while preserving the authentic essence of the dish.
The key to adapting Moroccan tagine for AIP is the use of anti-inflammatory spices like turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon, which bring warmth and depth to the dish without the need for nightshades. These spices are commonly found in Moroccan cuisine, so their inclusion stays true to the flavor profile while being autoimmune-friendly. Additionally, bone broth adds a nutrient-dense base to the dish, while the natural sweetness of dried apricots and the tanginess of olives ensure that the balance of sweet and savory flavors is maintained, even without the use of tomatoes.
A Journey to Morocco from Your Kitchen
When you cook this AIP Chicken Moroccan Tagine, you are not only nourishing your body but also taking a culinary journey to North Africa. Imagine the bustling streets of a Moroccan souk, the air thick with the scent of spices, dried fruits, and roasted meats. Visualize the vibrant tagine pots displayed at local markets, each one promising a unique and flavorful meal.
Moroccan food is deeply rooted in tradition and community, and while this AIP version may lack some of the conventional ingredients, it doesn’t compromise on the heart of the dish. The slow-cooked chicken, tender vegetables, and fragrant spices come together to create a comforting and delicious meal that anyone can enjoy, whether you’re managing an autoimmune condition or simply looking for a new and exciting dish to add to your repertoire.
Why AIP Moroccan Tagine Works for Autoimmune Health
This recipe is not just about enjoying a tasty meal—it’s about finding balance between traditional flavors and health-conscious eating. AIP is all about removing inflammatory foods and replacing them with nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory alternatives, and this tagine recipe does exactly that.
By swapping out ingredients that typically cause inflammation (such as tomatoes and chili peppers) and using foods that promote healing (like turmeric, bone broth, and garlic), this dish supports your wellness journey without sacrificing the vibrant flavors that make Moroccan cuisine so special.
Instructions
1. Prepare the Chicken
- Heat olive oil in a large tagine pot or a heavy-bottomed pot.
- Add the chicken pieces, skin-side down, and sear them for about 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. This step locks in the moisture.
2. Sauté the Vegetables
- In the same pot, add the sliced onions and garlic. Sauté them until translucent and fragrant.
- Add the carrots and zucchini, stirring them into the onion mixture to absorb the flavors.
3. Spice It Up
- Add your AIP-compliant spices: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, garlic powder, and cloves. Stir them with the veggies to create a fragrant base for the tagine.
4. Add Liquid & Chicken
- Pour the bone broth into the pot, ensuring all the vegetables and chicken are submerged.
- Add dried apricots for a natural sweetness and olives for that tangy Moroccan flavor (both optional).
- Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the mixture.
5. Slow Cook
- Cover the pot with a lid, lower the heat, and let it simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the chicken is cooked through and tender. The longer it simmers, the more the flavors will meld together.
6. Garnish and Serve
- Once done, garnish with fresh cilantro.
- Serve your AIP Chicken Moroccan Tagine with a side of cauliflower rice or sautéed greens for a complete, nutritious meal.
AIP Moroccan Chicken Tagine
Course: Dinner, LunchCuisine: MoroccanDifficulty: Beginner, Easy4
servings15
minutes45
minutes252
kcalThis Chicken Tagine is anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense, perfect for AIP Elimination diet, yet flavorful without nightshades and irritating ingredients.
Ingredients
4 bone-in chicken thighs or 2 lb boneless chicken breast or a mixture of both
1 onion cut into ¼ -inch slices
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 big carrot, peeled and cut into ½-inch-thick coins
1 small Japanese or white sweet potato cut in 1-inch cubes
1-2 small zucchini, cut in 1-inch cubes
10-20 pitted black olives
½ tsp ginger, minced
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp turmeric powder
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp kelp
2-3 tbsp avocado oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups bone broth (or water)
1-2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped to garnish
Zest from 1 lemon
Directions
- Season the chicken with salt and kelp.
- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.
- Place the chicken in the skillet in a single layer and brown the meat, turning it on both sides until it turns deep golden. About 5-10 minutes on each side. Remove the chicken on a plate.
- In the same skillet add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes. If needed, one more tbsp of oil.
- Add the garlic, the turmeric and the ginger and cook until fragrant.
- Add the cinnamon and the lemon zest and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 30 seconds.
- Stir in the remaining water, scraping the bottom of the skillet to remove any browned bits.
- Add the chicken back in and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
- Add the carrots and the potato, cover again and simmer until the carrots are tender but crisp at the same time, and the potato is fork-tender, around 10-15 minutes.
- Add the zucchini and simmer for another 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the olives and the lemon juice and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle the cilantro and serve over cauliflower rice or with AIP bread.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Now you can enjoy the rich, warm flavors of a traditional Moroccan tagine, while staying on track with your health goals. Enjoy the taste of Morocco, right from your kitchen!
