Moroccan chicken & apricot couscous

The Family KitchenMoroccan chicken & apricot couscous

Morocco · Tagine-inspired · Morocco

Moroccan chicken & apricot couscous

Tender chicken, carrot and apricot in a lightly spiced sauce with fluffy couscous. Cinnamon and cumin give warmth without chilli.

18 minPreparation
30 minCooking
48 minTotal time
4Servings
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The Family Kitchen · Portions are a guide; appetite and needs vary.

Illustration of moroccan chicken & apricot couscous
AI-generated serving illustration

For 4 servings

What you’ll need

Allergens
Wheat in couscous; milk if yogurt is used. Check stock labels.

One step at a time

Let’s make it

  1. Warm olive oil in a saucepan. Cook chicken for 3 minutes, then add cumin and cinnamon for 20 seconds.
  2. Add carrot, courgette, apricots and 250 ml stock. Cover and simmer for 18–20 minutes until vegetables are soft and chicken reaches 75°C.
  3. Put couscous in a heatproof bowl. Pour over the remaining hot stock, cover and leave for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
  4. Taste the chicken sauce and add salt if needed. Serve couscous, chicken and vegetables separately or together, with yogurt as an optional cooling addition.

Preparation and cooking times are estimates. Use the doneness checks in the method.

Make the texture work

The apricot adds visible sweetness. Leave it in a separate section at first, or omit it while the chicken-and-couscous pairing becomes familiar.

Season it properly

Cumin and cinnamon give warmth without chilli. Adults can add harissa, pepper or extra salt to their own bowls.

Simple swaps

Use rice or quinoa instead of couscous. Replace apricot with soft diced pear for a less tangy sweetness.

Keep it safely

Store couscous and chicken separately for up to 24 hours. Reheat chicken once until steaming hot; loosen couscous with warm water.

Food education

What the ingredients bring

These are practical food-group notes, not a laboratory nutrition analysis. Portions and brands change the numbers.

  • Chicken provides protein, iron and zinc.
  • Carrot and courgette add fibre, potassium and carotenoids.
  • Apricots provide fibre and potassium; couscous supplies carbohydrate energy.
Before serving: adapt the size and texture to your child’s chewing skills, then let the meal be a relaxed family moment.

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