Chicken & Vegetable Tagine
2 teaspoons (tsp) olive oil
1 large onion, halved and thinly sliced (2 cups)
11/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)
3/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp turmeric
1 (141/2-ounce) can reduced-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup water
12 ounces peeled butternut squash (half a medium squash), cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 (15- or 19-ounce) can chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
pinch of ground cinnamon (or 1 stick)
1 (141/2-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes (do not drain)
3/4 cup dark raisins
1 (10-ounce) package fresh baby spinach, washed and dried
dash of hot sauce (e.g., Tabasco®)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
This hearty and healthy North African stew is the perfect prescription for those first chilly nights of autumn. Serve this tagine with whole-wheat couscous and some crusty whole-grain bread for a complete dinner (and freeze the leftovers for another night!).
Heat oil in a Dutch oven or stew pot (4- to 6-quart capacity) over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3–5 minutes. Add chicken, garlic, ginger and turmeric; increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add broth, water, squash, chickpeas and cinnamon and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add tomatoes and raisins, and continue to simmer covered until the squash is tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 10–15 minutes more.
Gradually stir in the spinach, cooking just until it wilts. Discard cinnamon stick if used. Season the stew with the hot sauce and ground pepper to taste. Makes 6 servings (serving size, 12/3 cup).
Per Serving: 320 calories; 3.5 grams (g) fat; 30 g protein; 44 g carbs; 9 g fiber; 55 milligrams (mg) cholesterol; 310 mg sodium.
