Moroccan Chicken Sausage Tagine with Apricots and Chickpeas Over Couscous

Transport your taste buds to North Africa with this vibrant and comforting tagine. Juicy chicken sausage is simmered with tender carrots, chickpeas and sweet dried apricots in a fragrant spice blend, then served over light and fluffy couscous. A tangy sour cream sauce with a kick of hot sauce ties it all together.

This dish comes together in about 35 minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner that feels special. The combination of savory sausage, earthy chickpeas and sweet apricots creates a beautiful balance of flavors that will have you coming back for seconds.

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Ingredients

1 unit ShallotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 clove GarlicView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce CarrotsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Roma TomatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 ounce Dried ApricotsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce CilantroView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

13.4 ounce ChickpeasView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Chicken Stock ConcentrateView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 cup CouscousView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

9 ounce Italian Chicken Sausage MixView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon Turkish Spice BlendView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Sour CreamView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon Hot SauceView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 teaspoon Vegetable OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 tablespoon ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Salt to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Pepper to tasteView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Wash and dry all produce. Halve, peel and mince the shallot. Mince or grate the garlic. Trim, peel and thinly slice the carrots on a diagonal. Dice the tomato. Roughly chop the dried apricots if needed. Finely chop the cilantro leaves and stems. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Quarter the lemon.
2. Heat a drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add half the shallot and half the garlic. Cook, stirring, until just softened, about 1-3 minutes. Stir in ¾ cup water (1½ cups for 4 servings), half the stock concentrates and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then add the couscous. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand until ready to serve.
3. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken sausage and half the Turkish spice blend. Cook, breaking up the meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Heat a large drizzle of oil in the same pan over medium-high heat. Add the carrots. Cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, 5-7 minutes. Add a big pinch of salt, the remaining shallot, garlic and Turkish spice blend. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine ⅓ cup water (⅔ cup for 4 servings) and the remaining stock concentrates.
5. Pour the stock mixture into the pan with the vegetables. Stir in the cooked sausage, chickpeas and diced tomato. Bring to a low simmer, then cover the pan (if your pan doesn’t have a lid, use aluminum foil). Cook until the liquid has reduced slightly, 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a second small bowl, combine the sour cream, a pinch of salt and as much hot sauce as you like. Add water 1 teaspoon at a time until the mixture reaches a drizzling consistency.
6. Fluff the couscous with a fork, then stir in 1 tablespoon butter (2 tablespoons for 4 servings), half the cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the couscous between plates and top with the tagine. Drizzle with the spicy sour cream sauce, sprinkle with the chopped apricots and remaining cilantro. Serve with the remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use a different type of sausage?

Yes, you can substitute with any ground chicken, turkey or even lamb sausage. Adjust cooking time as needed.

Is there a substitute for Turkish spice blend?

You can make your own blend with equal parts cumin, coriander, paprika and a pinch of cinnamon or allspice.

Can I make this dish vegetarian?

Absolutely! Omit the sausage and use vegetable stock concentrate instead of chicken. Add extra chickpeas or diced eggplant for heartiness.