Moroccan Chicken Sausage Tagine with Apricots and Chickpeas

Transport your taste buds to North Africa with this vibrant Moroccan-inspired tagine. Sweet dried apricots and hearty chickpeas mingle with savory chicken sausage, tender carrots and ripe tomatoes in a fragrant spice broth. Served over light, fluffy couscous and finished with a creamy, spicy sauce, this dish is a perfect balance of flavors and textures.

Despite its complex taste, this tagine comes together in under an hour using simple ingredients and one pot. It’s an ideal weeknight dinner that feels special enough for company. The subtle heat from the hot sauce and the cooling sour cream drizzle make every bite irresistible.

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Ingredients

1 unit ChickpeasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

9 ounce Italian Chicken Sausage MixView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce CarrotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Dried ApricotsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2.5 ounce French CouscousView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Turkish Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add couscous, cover, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in butter. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, peel and dice the carrot into ½-inch pieces. Dice the tomato. Mince the garlic. Finely chop the shallot. Cut the lemon into wedges. Roughly chop the cilantro.
3. In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat 2 tsp oil over medium-high. Add chicken sausage and cook, breaking it up, until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tsp oil, then carrot, shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in Turkish spice blend and cook 1 minute more.
5. Add tomato, chickpeas (drained and rinsed), chicken stock concentrate and 1 cup water. Bring to a simmer. Return sausage to the pot. Cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Stir in dried apricots and half the cilantro. Remove from heat.
7. In a small bowl, mix sour cream with hot sauce and a squeeze of lemon juice. Add water a teaspoon at a time to reach drizzling consistency.
8. Serve the tagine over couscous. Drizzle with spicy sour cream and garnish with remaining cilantro and lemon wedges.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use regular couscous instead of French couscous?

Yes, any small pasta like Israeli couscous or even quinoa works. Adjust cooking time according to package directions.

How do I store leftovers?

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave.

Can I make this dish less spicy?

Absolutely. Omit the hot sauce from the sour cream drizzle and use a mild spice blend.