Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Tagine is a Moroccan dish, which is named after the special pot in which it is cooked...I do not have this special pot, but the result from my slow cooker is equally as satisfying. This dish is a great comfort food dish, but it's also quite healthy. I serve it kind of like a stew. I made it this week for a friend who just had a baby, and doubled the recipe so my family coud have it as well. The recipe below is for the single batch:

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 cups chicken broth

1 (14 ½ oz) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained

2 onions, chopped

½ cup dried apricots, chopped

¼ cup dried cranberries (golden raisins would work as well)

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 T ground cumin

1 T cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

½ tsp crushed coriander seed

½ tsp ground paprika

4 whole cloves

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoon water

1 (15 oz) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

hot cooked couscous or rice

Place chicken in a slow cooker. Combine broth, tomatoes with juice, onions, apricots, dried cranberries, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, ginger, coriander, cloves, and paprika in medium bowl; pour over the chicken.

Combine tomato paste and water in small bowl; mix until smooth. Stir mixture and beans into the slow cooker. Cover; cook on low 4 to 5 hours or until chicken is no longer pink in center and sauce is thickened.

Sprinkle with toasted almonds. Seve with couscous or rice.

Sometimes I add a dollop of sour cream or even greek yogurt to the top for extra zip.