I love creating dishes from chicken but I’m not much fond of it when it’s basically soup-based. But the Spring Tagine of Chicken with Potatoes and Peas works for me the way fried chicken does.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs
• 2 pounds new potatoes, peeled
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, tied with string
• 1/2 punch fresh parsley, tied with string
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups frozen petite peas
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Meanwhile, pour the oil into a tangine or dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown on all sides, about 2 minutes per side.
2. Add the potatoes, cilantro and parsley, onions, stock, garlic, turmeric, ginger, and black pepper. Stir well, and then cover and place in an oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the chicken is done and the potatoes are soft.
3. Remove pot from the oven and discard the cilantro and parsley. Pour in the peas, and lemon juice. Stir well, and season with salt to taste.

Serves 3 to 4.

The main ingredients do not do much for the dish, to be honest. It is the last-minute additions that really added that spank to the dish. Do not forget to add the peas as it lends the sweetness to the dish, battling the turmeric and ginger that melded with the chicken’s taste. The lemon, on the other hand, gives that much-needed acidity. Try and squeeze some more lemon when the plate is ready.