Moroccan-Style Chicken Thigh & Apricot Tagine

Before you start cooking, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Boil half a kettle

Add your couscous to a heatproof bowl with 200ml [300ml] [400ml] boiled water, cover and set aside

Heat a large, dry, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) over a medium heat

Once hot, add your flaked almonds and cook for 2-3 min or until toasted and lightly golden, then set them aside and reserve the pan

Tip: Watch them like a hawk so they don't burn!

Peel and finely slice your brown onion[s]

Peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and finely chop (or grate) your ginger

Return the reserved pan to a medium-high heat with a generous drizzle of olive oil

Once hot, add the sliced onion with a pinch of salt to the pan and cook for 4-5 min or until softened

Reboil half a kettle

Meanwhile, roughly chop your tomato[es]

Slice your sweet pointed pepper[s] into rounds

Dissolve your chicken stock mix in 200ml [260ml] [340ml] boiled water

Slice your chicken thighs into strips

Once the onion has softened, add your ras el hanout, chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!), chopped ginger and garlic, diced apricots and a pinch of salt and cook for 2 min or until the garlic has softened

Once softened, add the chicken strips and cook for 3-4 min

Add the chopped tomato, pepper rounds, stock and juice of half your lemon and cook, covered, for 9-10 min further or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your Moroccan-style chicken & apricot tagine

Whilst the tagine is cooking, chop your parsley finely, including the stalks

Fluff the couscous with a fork and add the juice of the remaining lemon

Add a drizzle of olive oil with a pinch of salt and half the chopped parsley and mix everything together – this is your herby couscous

Stir the remaining chopped parsley through the Moroccan-style chicken & apricot tagine