Learn how to serve a tagine: Moroccan style! You will find these conical clay pots (aka tagines) at the center of many Moroccan dining tables, usually accompanied by assorted sides salads and baskets of bread. Keep reading for tips on how to cook, serve, and enjoy a tagine.
If you’ve ever had the honor of visiting Morocco, chances are you’ve tried a tagine (also occasionally spelled tajine). This conical clay pot is a staple in many Moroccan recipes, known for its ability to infuse big flavors into humble ingredients.
If you cook in a tagine or use a traditional tagine recipe in a regular pot, you will have a tasty and unique meal.
The word “tagine” refers to both the cone-shaped pot and the many dishes that Moroccans cook in it.
Chicken tagine is a flavorful Moroccan stew made with chicken vegetables and warm spices like cumin, cinnamon, ginger, and saffron. It’s a comforting one-pot meal, but what should you serve alongside it?
I love making chicken tagine because it’s easy yet impressive. But I used to struggle with figuring out what sides would complement those complex Moroccan flavors. Through trial and error, I’ve landed on a roster of chicken tagine side dishes that never fail to please.
This article will talk about my favorite sides to go with tagine chicken, ranging from traditional ones like couscous and rice to new ones like beet salad and zucchini fries. For different tastes, I’ve also added gluten-free, quick-fix, and vegetarian sides.
So let’s dive in to the 15 best side dishes to serve with chicken tagine!
Starchy Sides
A starch is a must for soaking up the delicious broth from the chicken tagine. Here are some carb-based sides that pair wonderfully.
1. Couscous
Couscous is the traditional Moroccan side dish for tagine. The tiny pasta grains are the perfect vehicle for scooping up every last drop of the flavorful sauce. I like to dress up plain couscous with lemon, parsley, olive oil, and a touch of harissa paste. The zesty, herby couscous balances the richness of the chicken tagine.
2. Rice
With chicken tagine, you can eat buttered saffron rice, jewel rice, or just plain white rice. The rice soaks up the sauce, and the saffron gives it an extra Moroccan flavor. I make basmati rice and add saffron threads, olive oil, salt, and pepper to it. This is a simple side dish.
3. Moroccan Bread
It’s great to dip warm Moroccan flatbreads like khobz and msemen into the chicken tagine. The bread soaks up the sauce and gives the strong flavors a neutral base. For an extra kick, I like putting harissa and olive oil on top of my bread.
4. Roasted Potatoes
Crispy roasted potatoes offer texture contrast and help cut the richness of chicken tagine. Smashed baby potatoes roasted with paprika, garlic, and olive oil are easy to make yet pack a flavor punch. They also conveniently cook in the same oven temperature as the tagine.
Vegetable Sides
Adding veggies to your chicken tagine meal not only makes it healthier, but also balances the heartiness of the stew. Here are some stellar veggie sides.
5. Roasted Carrots with Cumin
Sweet roasted carrots enhanced with cumin complement chicken tagine flawlessly. They mirror the warming Moroccan spices in the stew. I coat carrot batons with olive oil, honey, cumin, and salt before roasting them until caramelized.
6. Charred Eggplant Salad
Rich chicken tagine tastes great with a smoky grilled eggplant salad that adds a nice contrast in texture and flavor. When you grill eggplant, it gets a little char on the outside while staying soft on the inside. For a spicy, bright salad, I chop grilled eggplant and toss it with olive oil, lemon, garlic, cumin, and cumin.
7. Green Beans with Toasted Almonds
Buttery green beans studded with toasted almonds make a satisfying accompaniment for chicken tagine. Blanching then sautéing the green beans gives them a soft but still crisp texture. Sprinkling on crunchy almonds adds nuttiness that echoes the warm spices in the tagine.
8. Roasted Cauliflower
Nutty roasted cauliflower florets pair perfectly with the warming flavors of chicken tagine. I toss cauliflower with ras el hanout, paprika, olive oil, and garlic before roasting to infuse it with aromatic Moroccan essence. It’s simple yet packs a serious flavor punch.
9. Mediterranean Salad
A light Mediterranean salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, onion, olives, and feta cheese complements rich chicken tagine. I dress it with a lemony vinaigrette spiked with oregano, which helps cut through the stew’s richness. The salad provides freshness and texture contrast.
Grain & Bean Salads
Hearty grain and bean salads make satisfying, protein-rich sides for chicken tagine. They hold up well against the robust flavors of the stew.
10. Quinoa Tabbouleh
Quinoa tabbouleh has all the fresh flavors of traditional tabbouleh with more heft from the quinoa. It mirrors the Mediterranean herbs in the chicken tagine while the tangy dressing cuts the richness. I add tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, mint, scallions, lemon, and olive oil for a bright, flavor-packed salad.
11. Chickpea Salad
A zingy Moroccan chickpea salad is right at home next to chicken tagine. I combine chickpeas with bell peppers, red onion, cilantro, lemon, cumin, and smoked paprika. The salad provides a crunchy, flavorful contrast to the tender stew.
12. Freekeh Salad
Smoked green wheat salad, also called freekeh salad, pairs wonderfully with chicken tagine. Chewy freekeh grains have an irresistible smoky aroma that echoes the charred flavors in the stew. I mix freekeh with cucumber, cherry tomatoes, parsley, and lemon vinaigrette for a vibrant salad.
13. Barley Salad
Nutty pearl barley salad makes a hearty and healthy chicken tagine accompaniment. It has a pleasant chew that contrasts the fall-apart chicken in the stew. I cook barley then combine it with spinach, feta, and an orange balsamic vinaigrette for a Mediterranean twist.
Bright Sides
Cut through the richness of chicken tagine with bright, acidic sides. They cleanse the palate between bites of the heavy stew.
14. Greek Lemon Potatoes
Tangy Greek-style oven roasted lemon potatoes are an ideal match for rich chicken tagine. Potatoes roasted with lemon, oregano, garlic, and olive oil offer brightness and texture contrast. I use both lemon juice and zest for maximum bright flavor.
15. Marinated Cucumber Salad
Cool marinated cucumber salad helps balance the heartiness of chicken tagine. I toss thinly sliced Persian cucumbers with red onion, lemon juice, olive oil, mint, and a pinch of sumac. The salad’s acidity and crunch perfectly offsets the stew.
Round Out Your Chicken Tagine Meal
When serving chicken tagine, I recommend offering 2-3 sides to give your guests options to please all palates. Try to include a variety of flavors, textures, and colors.
Complete the Moroccan feast with a basket of warm pita or naan and a pot of aromatic mint tea. A bowl of cooling yogurt raita on the table also helps temper the tagine’s spice level.
For dessert, serve something sweet like fresh fruit, baklava, or almond cookies to end the meal on a high note.
With this roster of complementary sides, you can serve chicken tagine with confidence at your next dinner party. Just be sure to make extra – with all those complex flavors in one pot, the tagine is bound to be a hit!
So experiment and find your favorite chicken tagine side pairing. The options are endless for rounding out this exotic Moroccan one-pot wonder.
What is a Tagine?
While the base of a tagine takes a slightly more shallow but similar shape to that of an average pot or dutch oven, it’s lid is what makes it truly unique, taking the form of a cone.
This cone shaped lid allows flavors to steam and circulate in a larger space while cooking. The meat and vegetables that come out of this process are perfectly tender and full of the herbs and spices that were used.
Traditional Moroccan tagines are typically made from earthenware clay (a kind of clay that resembles terracotta). The pots are usually handmade by Moroccan artisans and spun on a pottery wheel.
In Morocco you will find both glazed and unglazed tagines, which both have their own benefits when used to cook.
Traditional Ways to Serve
I grew up eating tagines for dinner on a weekly basis. We sat around a round table every time, whether it was at my grandmother’s in Rabat or my dad’s in Washington, D.C.
Traditionally, tagines are served as the center of the table. Often, different kinds of Moroccan side salads are served in smaller bowls and plates next to the tagine. Usually these are spread out so that each individual will have one of each salad.
Another key element of serving a tagine is the bread (aka khobz), usually heated up and served in a small basket that’s passed around the table.
Moroccans love their bread, and for good reason as it does a lovely job of soaking up all of the sauce at the base of the tagine. It’s also used as a vehicle to scoop up the meat, veggies, and any other contents of the dish.
Here are a few of my favorite Moroccan side salads to serve around your tagine:
Irresistible Chicken Tagine Recipe | Easy Moroccan Comfort Food!
FAQ
What to serve with a chicken tagine?
Bring the taste of North Africa to your kitchen with one of our chicken tagine recipes. Serve with bread, couscous or tabbouleh.
What is tagine traditionally served with?
Tagines are generally served with bread. Because the domed or cone-shaped lid of the tagine pot traps steam and returns the condensed liquid to the pot, a minimal amount of water is needed to cook meats and vegetables.
What’s a good side for moroccan chicken?
What to Serve Along? I often serve this Moroccan chicken tagine with plain couscous (super easy to make following the package instructions). You can try your favorite grain or Lebanese rice instead, if you like. And to start the meal, simply serve a fresh Mediterranean salad.
What bread to serve with chicken tagine?
Hobz – Moroccan Tagine Bread. Every time I make a big meal from a new culture, I always make a bread to go along with it. Hobz is a traditional bread in Morocco that is sold everywhere, yet it is still the most commonly made bread at home. Almost every family makes these at home everyday for daily use.