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This Slow Cooker Tagine-Inspired Chicken is perfectly bright and is sure to add excitement to your dinner table!
If you are not familiar, Chicken Tagine is a traditional traditional Moroccan dish of chicken braised with spices, garlic, onion, olives, and preserved lemons. It’s deliciously bright and something I highly recommend trying!
With those bright flavors in mind, it inspired this delicious slow cooker chicken. But, instead of preserved lemons, I did a mix of orange and lemon zest and juice! I cannot get enough of these bright flavors.
Slow Cooker Tagine-Inspired Chicken Ingredients:
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Ground Coriander
- Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
- Tomato Paste
- Salt and Pepper
- Chicken Breasts
- Lemon Zest
- Orange Zest
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Fresh Orange Juice
- Cilantro
- Pitted Green Olives
- Shelled Pistachios
- Cauliflower Rice or Jasmine Rice
Slow Cooker Tagine-Inspired Chicken step-by-step: slow cooker method
Step One: Start the Sauce and Chicken
In the bottom of a slow cooker, add the sliced onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, paprika, cumin, coriander, chicken broth, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine. Nestle in the chicken breasts, cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.
Step Two: Shred the Chicken
Once the cook time is complete, transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board, allow to cool slightly, and shred with two forks. Return the chicken back to the cooking liquid and toss to combine. Add in the lemon and orange zest and juice, cilantro, and olives. Stir to combine.
Step Three: Serve and Enjoy!
To serve, scoop cooked cauliflower rice or jasmine rice into bowls and ladle the sauce over the top. Garnish with chopped pistachios and extra cilantro if desired.
Recipe FAQs:
Yes! You can absolutely make this in an Instant Pot, you can find the steps below on how to make.
If you need to keep this Whole30 or Paleo, you can serve this over cauliflower rice! If not, this is great over steamed rice. I’ve even served the leftovers over a simple salad!
for more chicken recipes:
Slow Cooker Thai Red Curry Chicken and Veggies
Instant Pot Beer-Braised Chicken Tacos
Slow Cooker Tagine-Inspired Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- 1 large yellow onion halved and thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 lb. chicken breasts
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
- ½ cup chopped cilantro plus more for serving
- ½ cup drained and roughly torn pitted green olives
For Serving:
- ¼ cup chopped shelled pistachios
- Cooked cauliflower rice or jasmine rice
Instructions
SLOW COOKER INSTRUCTIONS:
- In the bottom of a slow cooker, add the sliced onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, paprika, cumin, coriander, chicken broth, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine. Nestle in the chicken breasts, cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours.
- Once the cook time is complete, transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board, allow to cool slightly, and shred with two forks. Return the chicken back to the cooking liquid and toss to combine. Add in the lemon and orange zest and juice, cilantro, and olives. Stir to combine.
- To serve, scoop cooked cauliflower rice or jasmine rice into bowls and ladle the chicken tagine mixture over top. Garnish with chopped pistachios and extra cilantro if desired.
INSTANT POT INSTRUCTIONS:
- In the Instant Pot, add the sliced onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, paprika, cumin, coriander, chicken broth, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Mix to combine. Nestle in the chicken breasts, place the lid back on the top, lock, and turn the vent to “sealed.” Using the manual setting, set the cook time to 20 minutes.
- Once the cook time is complete, allow the pressure to naturally release for about 10 minutes. Turn the vent to “venting” to release the rest of the steam, and open the lid. Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board, allow to cool slightly, and shred with two forks. Return the chicken back to the cooking liquid and toss to combine. Add in the lemon and orange zest and juice, cilantro, and olives. Stir to combine.
- To serve, scoop cooked cauliflower rice or jasmine rice into bowls and ladle the chicken tagine mixture over top. Garnish with chopped pistachios and extra cilantro if desired.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Photography by Eat Love Eats.
Really good, only thing I’d add is little bit of honey with the marinade/broth to cut the acid but other than that delish!!
I made this last night and it was delicious and easy!
Is there a stovetop version?
Loved this one! So easy, flavorful, healthy. Perfect for a weeknight meal.
Not my favorite recipe. I love all things Defined Dish. This one missed the mark. The chicken was pretty bland. I served over jasmine rice.