Chicken Tagine

This recipe is based on Neil Perry's but with a few changes. I cook this in a standard casserole dish but if you have a Tagine even better. Serve with couscous or rice.

Marinade Paste
1/2 red onion
1 clove garlic
zest of 1 lemon
juice of half a lemon
1 bunch corriander
1 bunch parsley
1 heaped tablespoon of Moroccan Seasoning (I use one from Herbies)
2 chicken breasts cut into chunky pieces

Tagine
1/2 red onion sliced
1 carrot chopped
1 sweet potato or 1/2 butternut pumpkin chopped
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup water
2 cups Chicken Stock
300g pitted prunes
2 preserved lemon quarters (again I use Herbies) with flesh & pith removed and finely diced into very small pieces

Either finely chop by hand or in a food processor all marinade paste ingredients (except the chicken). Coat the chicken pieces with the paste and marinate in the fridge for at least 6 hours.

In a frypan, brown the chicken pieces on all sides in a little oil and place in a casserole dish. Deglaze the pan with 1/2 cup of water and add to casserole. Then add the carrot, sweet potato or pumpkin, onion slices, honey and half of the preserved lemon to the dish. Add the chicken stock. Cover the dish & cook in the oven at 180deg for 40mins. Remove and add the prunes & the other 1/2 of the preserved lemon. Return to the oven uncovered and cook for a further 20 -30 mins or until the chicken & veges are tender.