Moroccan Chicken And Date Tagine - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 unwaxed lemon, zested
4 fresh dates or 4 soft dried dates
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons olive oil
50 g pine nuts
salt and pepper
1 teaspoon harissa
350 ml chicken stock
200 g couscous
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon chopped coriander

Preparation

Cut the dates in half, discard the stone and then chop into six pieces.
Slice the chicken into short strips.
Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan and stir in the onion.
Cook until slippery and soft, then add in the pine kernels and lemon zest, salt and pepper.
Turn down the heat and cook for about five minutes, before adding in the chicken.
Cook until the meat is lightly browned.
Squeeze the juice from half the lemon over the top, stir in the harissa, stock and dates.
Simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the water is reduced by half.
You should end up with a thick, rusty coloured sauce.
Meanwhile, prepare the couscous by placing it in a bowl and adding 300ml boiling water, remaining olive oil and salt.
Cover and leave for 15 minutes, then use a fork to loosen the grains and mix in the butter.
Serve the chicken mixture over the couscous, garnished with some chopped coriander and a lemon wedge.