Child-friendly Instant Pot Chicken Tagine

This kid-friendly chicken tagine is a mild, one-pot meal made in the Instant Pot with boneless chicken thighs, sweet potato and carrot. It takes about 45 minutes, contains no chilli, and the sauce is gently spiced with cumin, cinnamon and ginger.

Traditional tagines are slow-cooked, often with dried fruit. This version uses diced dried apple, which melts into the sauce and adds a little natural sweetness, so it suits fussy eaters. I used a chicken bone broth made with chicken feet, for extra collagen and gut health support (wonderful for developing guts too!).

Recipe at a glance

• Serves: 4

• Prep time: 15 minutes

• Cook time: about 30 minutes, including pressure build and release

• Equipment: Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker

• Good for: family dinners, meal prep, kids

Ingredients

• 500g boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into large chunks

• 2 tbsp tallow (or butter, ghee olive oil or coconut oil)

• 2 onions, sliced

• 2 celery sticks, sliced (optional)

• 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 1 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 cup chicken broth

• 1 large sweet potato, cut into 3cm chunks

• 3 carrots, cut into 3cm chunks

• ¼ cup diced dried apple

• Juice of ½ lemon

• Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Spices

• ½ tsp ground coriander seed

• ½ tsp ground cumin

• ½ tsp turmeric

• ½ tsp paprika

• ¼ tsp ground ginger

• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon

• Salt, to taste

How to make chicken tagine in the Instant Pot

1. Season the chicken. Toss the chicken with the spices and a pinch of salt.

2. Brown it. Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and heat the tallow. Brown the chicken for 2 to 3 minutes per side, then take it out.

3. Build the base. Add the onions and celery and cook for 3 minutes, scraping up the browned bits. Add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 30 seconds.

4. Add the broth. Pour in the broth and stir well so nothing is stuck to the bottom of the pot.

5. Layer. Return the chicken to the pot. Lay the carrots and sweet potato on top without stirring.

6. Pressure cook. Seal the lid and cook on High pressure for 5 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then release the rest.

7. Finish. Stir in the dried apple and leave the lid on for 5 minutes to soften it. Add the lemon juice and parsley, then taste and add salt if needed.

Tips for the best tagine

• Sauce too thin? Take out the chicken and vegetables and simmer the sauce on Sauté for a few minutes. Or, just leave it on warm and the sweet potato will soften and become the sauce.

• Sweet potato still firm? Put the lid back on and let it sit on warm for another 5 minutes.

• Serve with konjac rice, cauliflower rice, or shirataki noodles.

• Adding heat for adults: stir cayenne or chilli into your own bowl at the table.

Frequently asked questions

Is this chicken tagine spicy?
No. It's gently spiced with cumin, coriander, paprika, ginger and cinnamon, and has no chilli, so it suits young children.

Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Thighs work better because they stay tender under pressure. Breast can turn dry, so if you use it, cook for 3 to 4 minutes instead of 5.

Can I use a different dried fruit?
Yes. Raisins, chopped dates, apricots or prunes all work. Add them at the end, as with the apple. This recipe was created with apple because thats what I had, and it worked. But raisins or dates would probably be even better!

Can I make this without an Instant Pot?
Yes. Simmer it covered in a heavy pot or Dutch oven on low heat for about 40 to 45 minutes, until the sweet potato is soft.

How long does it keep?
Up to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It reheats well on the stove or in the microwave.