The BEST Tunisian Tagine [GF, Pescatarian]

Tunisian Tagine is the hearty Tunisian appetizer or light meal that's simple, flavorful, and packed with nutrition!

While many people associate the word tagine with Algerian and Moroccan tagine, a slow-cooked stew made with meat or fish and vegetables, Tunisian tagine is actually an entirely different dish. Tunisia tagine is made from a base of chicken or fish mixed with eggs and spices, and then baked similar to a quiche or frittata. 

Many Tunisians each have their own version of "the best" tagine, as there is no one right recipe for the dish. You'll find some people using potatoes, beans, flour, cheese, green peas and fresh herbs-- while others opt to leave some of these ingredients out. 

The good news is, as long as you follow these steps (my mother-in-law's recipe!), the recipe is basically fool-proof and it's an absolutely delicious big batch dish to prepare for a week of snacking. I've made three batches in the last two weeks! I've included the recipes for both a chicken and tuna version. They both turned out fantastic, hope you enjoy the BEST TUNISIAN TAGINE!

Serves 6-8.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

2 teaspoons turmeric

10 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast or thigh (or replace with same portion of canned tuna)

1/2 cup of water 

8 medium eggs

3/4 cup grated parmesan 

1.5 cups of freshly chopped spinach, parsley, or mix (I do 3/4 cup of each)

3 to 4 small spicy red peppers, thinly sliced into rings 

Salt and pepper, to taste

To serve:

Harissa, if desired.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F (175 C).  Grease or line a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Add olive oil, chicken (if not using, omit), chopped onion, turmeric, and salt & pepper to taste in a pot over medium heat. Sauteed until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes. 

Add 1/2 cup of water to pot and simmer until water has reduced by half and chicken is cooked through. You want to make sure you have some of the liquid remaining as this will prevent the tagine from drying out! Remove from heat and shred or finely chop chicken. 

Combine eggs, spinach/parsley mix, and parmesan until evenly mixed. Add chicken (or canned tuna) and onion/spice mixture to eggs.

Pour mixture into baking dish and top with pepper slices, if desired. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until firm and golden brown on top.

Serve as is or my favorite, with a side of harissa-- Enjoy!