Moroccan · Main course
Tiznit Argan & Almond Chicken
Tiznit, deep in argan country south of Agadir, cooks chicken in a sauce enriched with amlou — the local paste of roasted almonds, argan oil and honey — for a dish that is nutty, faintly sweet and unmistakably of the Souss. The amlou melts into the braise, thickening it to a golden, toasty gravy studded with whole fried almonds.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 1 chicken, jointed
- 2 onions, grated
- 3 tbsp amlou (almond-argan-honey paste)
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of saffron
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp culinary argan oil, to finish
- 80 g whole almonds, fried
- 1 tbsp honey
- Salt and pepper
Method
- 1
Start
Warm the olive oil, add the chicken, grated onion, ginger, saffron, cinnamon, salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
- 2
Braise
Add a cup of water, cover and simmer 35 minutes until the chicken is tender and the onions soft.
- 3
Stir in amlou
Whisk the amlou and honey into the sauce and simmer 10 minutes until it thickens to a golden, nutty gravy.
- 4
Reduce
Uncover and reduce until the sauce coats the chicken.
- 5
Finish
Off the heat, drizzle with argan oil and scatter the fried whole almonds over.
- 6
Serve
Serve hot with bread to scoop the rich amlou sauce.
Chef's tips
- If you can't buy amlou, blend 100 g roasted almonds with 3 tbsp argan oil and 1 tbsp honey to a loose paste.
- Add the amlou toward the end so its argan oil stays fragrant.
- Balance with a squeeze of lemon if the sauce turns too sweet.
Frequently asked questions
What is amlou?
Amlou is a Souss speciality — roasted almonds ground with argan oil and honey into a thick, spoonable paste, usually eaten at breakfast but also used to enrich savoury dishes.
Can I use peanut butter instead?
It's not authentic, but a natural almond butter loosened with a nut oil and honey is the closest easy substitute for the texture and richness.