Oven-Baked Chicken & Jerusalem Artichoke Tajine (Recipe)

Published: 15 January 2024

Stay warm this winter with a delicious oven-baked tajine, showcasing the earthy richness of Jerusalem artichokes!

This chicken tagine is the perfect way to introduce the Jerusalem artichoke (a.k.a sunchoke) to those who are still unfamiliar with its charm.

This knobbly tuber takes quite a bit of time to cook. However, once properly prepared, it releases a very distinct nutty flavour that elevates any dish to a whole new level!

Jerusalem artichokes are also a great addition to purées, soups and even hummus dips.

It is also important to highlight that sunchokes contain inulin. This prebiotic fiber is greatly loved by the gut microbiota and believed to hold important benefits on cardiovascular health. Some argue that inulin could even help to increase the absorption of minerals in the body, particularly calcium. That being said, our bodies cannot digest inulin, so be ready for some significant gas and bloating. Consider yourself warned!

Did you know? For centuries, sunchokes served as a vital food source for both Aboriginal Canadians and the initial European settlers.

Oven-Baked Chicken & Jerusalem Artichoke Tajine

Meriem Chiadmi

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Servings 4 people

Equipment

• 1 oven-proof casserole

Ingredients

  

• olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic (minced)
• 1/2 large white onion (diced)
• 1 medium-sized red pepper (roughly 1 cup diced)
• 620 g of chicken (cut into pieces or just thighs)
• 1 1/2 tsp of mustard
• 1 1/2 tsp of paprika powder
• 2 tsp of turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp of ginger powder
• 10 Jerusalem artichokes (roughly 860g) (peeled and cut into even, bite-sized pieces)
• 12 halved cherry tomatoes (or 3 tomatoes diced, roughly 250g)
• 1/4 cup of fresh coriander (chopped)
• 1/4 cup of fresh parsley (chopped)
• Pinch of cinnamon
• salt (to taste)

Garnish

• olives (preferably well-marinated Kalamata olives or Meski olives)
• preserved lemon
• freshly-squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 250°C (or 480°F)
• In a frying pan, sauté the garlic and onions in 2 Tbsp of olive oil until onions are translucent.
• Add red peppers and chicken, and cook over medium-high heat until the outer surface of the chicken is lightly golden. Take out just the chicken pieces from the frying pan and set them aside.
• Add the Jerusalem artichokes to the red pepper mixture. Cook for roughly 4 minutes while mixing from time to time.
• In an oven-proof casserole, add roughly 6 Tbsp of olive oil (or enough to cover the bottom of the casserole). Add the mustard, paprika, turmeric, ginger and salt.
• Add the chicken and all the veggies from the frying pan to the casserole (make sure to scrap off all of the flavours from the pan). Mix well.
• Add the tomatoes, cinnamon, coriander, parsley and 2 Tbsp of water. Mix well and cover the casserole with aluminum foil. Bake for at least 1 hour (or until the chicken is fully cooked through and the artichokes are extremely soft and easy to mash with a fork).
• Before serving, top with olives, wedges of preserved lemon and a generous squeeze of lemon.

Notes

Serve with fresh bread.

This dish tastes even better the following day when all the ingredients have soaked up all the flavours.

If you want to substitute the Jerusalem artichokes for potatoes, be sure to check on the tajine halfway through the baking process to see if there is still liquid in the casserole. If it is dry, add some hot water to cover the bottom before popping it back in the oven.