Are you wondering what to serve with chicken tagine? There are countless Moroccan tagines with chicken that you can make however where most people get stuck is wondering what to put on the table alongside this main dish.
There is no right or wrong answer – at the end of the day, it is whatever you’d like it to be. If you’re wanting to create a really authentic table then you might make different choices than if you’re open-minded and looking for something a little bit different.
What Goes with Chicken Tagine?
This is again a very personal choice. What I like may not be what you like however in the rest of this post I’ll give you some ideas and suggestions of things that I think work well. I’ll also share my favorite chicken tagines and give you two different side dish choices that go with each one.
In Morocco having bread with your tagine is really important so make sure to add khobz (bread) to your table. From here your choices will depend a little on how you plan to serve your meal. If you will serve and eat communally going with small places with dishes that can be eaten with bread or a small spoon choose sides that make this easy. If you will be giving everyone their own plate you can choose other side dishes that can be portioned and served.
Ceramic Honeycomb PlateRectangular Serving Platters
6” Ceramic Plates
What Vegetables to Serve with Chicken Tagine?
In Morocco the vegetables that are served with a chicken tagine – or in a chicken tagine – are those that are available seasonally. Personally, I always try to eat seasonally no matter where I am because the food quality is generally better.
Some of the common vegetables you’ll see with chicken tagine include;
- potatoes
- peas
- preserved lemon
- carrots
- fennel
- green beans
- fava beans
Chicken Tagine Recipes + Side Dishes for Chicken Tagine
If you’re ready to start cooking and want to pair your chicken tagine with something great here are some options. For each tagine, I’ll share a link to the recipe as well as 2 side dishes that would work well together. Try them all and find the best chicken tagine recipe for you!
Main Dish: Moroccan Lemon Chicken Tajine with Potatoes or Chicken Tajine with Preserved Lemons and Olives
Side Dish Idea 1: Taktouka – Green Pepper and Tomato Salad
Side Dish Idea 2: Libyan Sharmoula {Tomato and Cucumber Salad}
These are two of the classic Moroccan tagine recipes that you will find regularly. They’re also great beginner recipes and if you’ve got kids, they’ll love them! You could combine the two for a potato and olive tagine. With this tagine I like to serve side salads that have a bit of acidity to add a change in the flavor.
Main Dish: Moroccan Chicken Tajine with Oranges
Side Dish 1: Charred Green Pepper and Preserved Lemon Salad
Side Dish 2: Moroccan Beet Salad
You won’t find this often on menus but it’s an absolutely stunning tagine. The flavors are great and while oranges with chicken might seem confusing, trust me on this one. The side dishes for this tagine include smoky green peppers with tangy preserved lemons and an earthy beet salad.
Main Dish: Chicken Tajine with Tomato and Onion Jam
Side 1: The Easiest Moroccan Zucchini Salad You’ll Ever Make!
Side 2: Potato, Carrot, and Rice Salad
This tagine is sweet unlike some of the savory ones however it really does balance out and create a delicious meal. For the side dishes with this, I would choose some options that do not have acid so that the flavors of the tagine are not overpowered.
Main Dish: Chicken and Walnut Tagine with Quince
Side Dish 1: Moroccan Carrot, Chickpea, Dried Fruit and Almond Salad
Side Dish 2: Mediterranean Fennel & Orange Salad
This delicious tagine takes on a caramelized flavor when the quince reduces leaving it a bit sweet but still savory. I’m pairing this with two fresh salads. The first uses almonds but you could use walnuts too so that the same flavor is there throughout the meal. The second uses fresh fennel and oranges to give a crisp bite and punch of citrus.
I hope this helps you come up with some new ideas and pairings for your chicken tagines. If you want some more great food ideas be sure to subscribe to my newsletter below.