Slow Cooker Chicken Tagine with Quinoa

Ingredients

1 tbsp coconut oil or butter (no flavour)

6 skinless, chicken thighs

1 onion

100ml chicken stock or bone broth

1 tin chopped tomato

1tbsp tomato puree

1 carrot, peeled and chopped into small chunks

1 red pepper cut into small chunks

400g can chickpeas, drained

6 dried apricots, stoned

6 dried dates

1 tbsp peeled and finely chopped ginger

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 handful of almonds, chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or mint

Serve with cooked Quinoa

Method

Add all the ingredients to your slow cooker, make sure the chicken is covered in tomato and stock. Cook on a low heat for 6 hours. Stir in the first our.

If you don’t have a slow cooker

Heat the oil/butter in a pan. Fry the onion for five minutes, or until soft. Stir in the ginger and spices.

Add the chicken thighs and coat in the spices, brown a little.

Add the stock, carrots, pepper, apricots, dates and tomatoes. Bring to the boil, cover with the lid and simmer on a low temperature for 1-2 hours until the chicken is tender and falls of the bone. (Add the chickpeas after 45 minutes and stir until well combined.)

Stir in the mint or parsley at the end of cooking.

Serve alongside quinoa, topped with chopped almonds.

Health Benefits

This recipe was inspired by Lucinda Miller’s Brain Brilliance.

The tagine is packed with protein, from chicken, chickpeas, quinoa and almonds. Protein plays an important role in a child's growth and brain development. Proteins are involved in producing neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine, which impact mood, behaviour & cognitive function.

There are also plenty of gut-supporting ingredients:

⭐Turmeric: has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that ease digestion & promote better gut health.

⭐Cinnamon: is thought to help restore the balance of bacteria in the gut, supporting good digestive health.

⭐Chickpeas and dried fruit (apricots, dates) are high in fibre and can help improve the composition of your gut microbiome.  

⭐Bone broth is rich in collagen which nourishes the intestinal lining and may help reduce inflammation.

⭐Chicken, apricots and chickpeas are also a good source of iron.

Children of all ages can struggle with the texture of meat. Slow-cooking meat breaks down connective tissue and collagen, resulting in tender, juicy meat. They might find more appealing.