Tajine Maadnous

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breasts
• 1 medium onion
• 1 large potato
• 1 cup water
• 1.5 cups parsley
• 8 large eggs
• 6 oz cheese
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp paprika or cayenne pepper
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 0.25 tsp caraway
• 0.25 tsp thyme
• 0.25 tsp cinnamon

Method

Bloom your spices-and-aromatics in fat first. This tajine maadnous — a baked egg dish built on North African foundations — depends on extracting the volatile oils from cumin, coriander, turmeric, caraway, and cinnamon before they meet the chicken. Grind any whole spices (caraway and cinnamon especially) using a pestle and mortar until they smell aggressive and sharp. Divide the blend in half and set aside. In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil, then add the finely sliced onion. Cook until translucent and beginning to soften, roughly 4–5 minutes. Toss the chicken (cut into bite-sized pieces, not left whole) with half the spice mix, then add to the pan. Brown the chicken on all sides — this takes 6–8 minutes depending on piece size — building colour and developing flavour through Maillard browning. The spices will darken slightly in the residual heat; stop before they blacken.

Add the potatoes (diced small, roughly 1 cm cubes for even cooking) and 250 ml water. Bring to a gentle simmer, uncovered, until the potatoes are tender and the liquid has reduced to nearly nothing — 15–20 minutes. This is crucial: you're concentrating the flavour and removing excess moisture that would otherwise weep from the egg custard during baking. Stir in the chopped parsley, then let the mixture cool to room temperature. Cooling prevents the eggs from beginning to set the moment they hit the hot pan.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a medium baking dish (about 1 litre capacity) with the remaining olive oil. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly until no streaks of white remain — this ensures even setting. Stir in the grated cheese (use a mild, firm cheese: cheddar or a British hard cheese works well), then fold in the cooled chicken mixture along with the remaining half of the spice blend. Combine gently but thoroughly; any pockets of unmixed spice will taste bitter and sharp.

Pour into the prepared dish and bake for 30–35 minutes at 180°C. The tajine is set when the surface no longer trembles at the centre when you give the dish a gentle shake — the residual heat will continue to cook it slightly as it cools. Serve warm or at room temperature. A dollop of harissa adds bite and bridges the tunisian-cuisine roots.