There is something very comforting about the combination of chicken, apricots, warm spices, stock, and herbs.
This Moroccan Apricot Chicken is sweet, savoury, gently spiced, and beautifully balanced. The bone-in chicken thighs give the dish richness and flavour, while the apricots bring a natural sweetness that works perfectly with the Moroccan spice blend.
This is also a great example of how a few clever pantry ingredients can do a lot of heavy lifting. A good chicken stock, a quality spice blend, dried fruit, nuts, herbs, and pearl couscous turn a simple chicken dish into a complete meal.
For Kitchen Confidence, this is exactly the sort of recipe I love — not complicated, but full of technique. You’ll learn how to brown chicken properly, build flavour in the pan, use stock as a cooking base, and create a side dish that supports the main event rather than just sitting beside it.
Serves: 4
Skill Level: Kitchen Confidence
Cooking Style: Braised chicken with pearl couscous
Hero Ingredients: Bone-in chicken thighs, apricots, Moroccan spice, Bone Roasters Chicken Stock
Place the chicken thighs into a bowl.
Add the Moroccan spice blend and a good drizzle of olive oil. Rub the spice and oil well into the chicken so each thigh is evenly coated.
Cover and marinate overnight in the fridge.
This gives the spice time to properly flavour the chicken and helps create a deeper, richer result when cooked.
Set the Ninja 11-in-1 to Sauté mode.
Add a little oil if needed, then place the marinated chicken thighs into the pot.
Sear the thighs until they develop good colour on both sides.
This step is important. You are not cooking the chicken through yet — you are building flavour, releasing the spices, and creating the base for the sauce.
Once the chicken has been sealed, add:
Stir gently around the chicken, making sure the base of the pot is loosened and nothing is sticking.
Place the pressure lid on the Ninja and set to Pressure Cook mode.
Cook for 20 minutes.
Once cooked, carefully release the pressure according to your Ninja instructions.
Remove the lid and add the remaining tinned apricots.
Switch the Ninja back to Sauté mode.
Simmer for around 10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
The sauce should be glossy, aromatic, lightly sweet, and full of Moroccan spice flavour.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Place the chicken stock into a pot and bring it to the boil.
Add the pearl couscous, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
Cook for around 10 minutes, or until the couscous is tender and the liquid has mostly evaporated.
Turn off the heat.
Add the finely sliced dried apricots and season to taste.
Cover and leave the couscous to rest for 5 minutes.
This allows the couscous to finish absorbing the flavour and gives the dried apricots time to soften slightly.
Place the pine nuts into a dry pan over medium heat.
Sauté gently until golden, moving them regularly so they do not burn.
Remove from the heat once toasted.
Spoon the pearl couscous into serving bowls.
Place one Moroccan apricot chicken thigh on top of each portion.
Spoon over the thickened apricot sauce.
Garnish with:
The lemon is important — it adds freshness and helps balance the sweetness of the apricots and the richness of the chicken.
You can still make this Moroccan Apricot Chicken without a Ninja 11-in-1.
Marinate the chicken thighs overnight with the Moroccan spice and olive oil as per the main recipe.
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Heat a little oil in a heavy-based casserole dish or ovenproof pan. Seal the chicken thighs on both sides until nicely coloured. This step still matters because it releases the spices and builds flavour.
Add the chicken stock, apricot juice, sliced dried apricots, one-third of the tinned apricots, and half the chopped coriander.
Cover with a lid or foil and place in the oven for around 40–45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
Remove from the oven, add the remaining tinned apricots, then return to the oven uncovered for another 10–15 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened slightly.
Taste and adjust seasoning before serving.
You can also cook it gently on the stovetop.
After sealing the chicken, add the stock, apricot juice, dried apricots, one-third of the tinned apricots, and half the coriander.
Cover and simmer gently for around 35–40 minutes, turning the chicken once or twice during cooking.
Add the remaining tinned apricots, remove the lid, and simmer for another 10 minutes, or until the sauce thickens.
The Ninja makes this quicker, but the principle is exactly the same:
Marinate. Seal. Cook gently. Reduce the sauce. Finish fresh.
That is the real lesson. The appliance helps, but the method is what gives you the result.
This dish works because it balances sweet, savoury, spice, texture, and freshness.
The apricots give sweetness, but the chicken stock keeps the dish savoury. The Moroccan spice adds warmth and depth without making the dish hot. The coriander lifts everything at the end, and the toasted pine nuts bring a little crunch.
Using bone-in chicken thighs is important here. They stay moist, have more flavour than breast meat, and suit this style of gentle braising beautifully.
The pearl couscous is not just a side dish — it soaks up the sauce and becomes part of the meal.
Browning the chicken first is one of those simple chef habits that makes a big difference.
When you brown the chicken, you create flavour on the surface of the meat and on the base of the pan. When the stock and apricot juice go in, they lift all that flavour and turn it into the sauce.
This is the difference between boiled chicken in sauce and a proper braised chicken dish.
Same ingredients. Better method. Better result.
This is a great example of the Underground Chef pantry doing what it should do — making good cooking easier.
The Bone Roasters Chicken Stock gives the sauce proper depth without needing hours of simmering. The Spice Lab Moroccan Spice brings the blend of warm spices together for you, so you are not reaching for six different jars.
Good pantry products should not just sit in the cupboard. They should help you cook better meals with less guesswork.
You could add diced pumpkin, sweet potato, zucchini, or chickpeas to the sauce to make the dish more substantial.
Add a little extra stock or a spoonful of yoghurt at the end if you want a softer, creamier finish.
If you like a little heat, add a pinch of chilli flakes or a spoonful of green sambal on the side.
Chicken drumsticks would also work well. Just allow a little extra cooking time.
This dish reheats beautifully. In fact, the flavour will deepen overnight, making it a great cook-ahead meal.
Serve with pearl couscous, coriander, toasted pine nuts, and a spoonful of the apricot sauce over the top.
A simple green salad or steamed greens would work well alongside it.
This is comfort food with a little warmth, a little sweetness, and a lot of flavour.
This is not a difficult dish, but it teaches a lot.
Brown the meat. Build the sauce. Use good stock. Balance sweetness with savoury depth. Finish with herbs and texture.
That is Kitchen Confidence in action.
You are not just following a recipe — you are learning how to make simple ingredients taste better.