I’ve been getting Territory Foods meals for years whenever I’m busy or in a pinch and their Tagine Chicken Salad is my hands-down absolute FAVORITE. I cannot get enough of it. Like if it’s on the menu for next week, 3 out of my 5 meals will be that salad. It’s that good.
But you know what? Sometimes, I just don’t want to wait for it to be on the menu again. Even if it’s for next week. Because I’m that impatient. I wanted to learn how to create that flavor profile on my own with homemade ingredients – for you guys who don’t have Territory near you, now you can get in on the BEST chicken salad ever too!!
A tagine is a Moroccan dish that uses some kind of meat or fish combined with veggies, spices, nuts, and dried fruit. It’s basically an explosion of flavor in your mouth. It’s usually a warm dish with rice, but I love the idea of transforming it into a chicken salad – capturing similar flavors with the spice blend and dried fruit worked into the salad, rather than waiting for the tagine to simmer for hours on end to develop the flavors. Is it totally authentic? Obviously not. I’ve never even been to Morocco, even though it is on my bucket list. But on thing I can tell you is this salad is freaking delicious and I will be eating it nonstop for the next few days!
Inside, you’ll find a combination of curry, turmeric, garlic and ginger, a little cinnamon and paprika for depth of flavor, the crunch of red onions and sliced almonds, plus a little sweetness from dried dates. Pair that with instant pot shredded chicken (recipe below!) and some creamy mayo and YAS you’re on a one-way trip to flavortown, as Guy Fieri would say.
- 2 lbs chicken breast
- ½ cup chicken broth
- 3 cups shredded chicken (from above)
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp curry powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp sea salt
- fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup chopped dates
- ⅓ cup sliced almonds
- optional: add 1-2 Tbsp harissa if you want some spice!
- 8+ cups spring mix
- 1 cup sliced cherry tomatoes
- ¼ medium red onion, diced
- First, make the chicken. Season with a little salt and pepper on both sides, then put it in the bottom of the instant pot with ½ cup broth. Seal the lid, and set it to MANUAL for 15 minutes on high pressure. Once it's done, quick release the pressure valve. Once cool enough to touch, shred the chicken with two forks and allow it to cool completely in the refrigerator before combining it with the other ingredients. Set aside 3 cups of shredded chicken for the salad - you will have leftovers!
- While the chicken is cooling, make the chicken salad: combine the mayo, lemon juice, and all the spices in a small bowl. You will stir the dates and almonds in with the chicken so they don't get too mushed up.
- For the salad, start filling your bowl with lettuce, tomatoes, and extra red onion for crunch. Plop about a cup of the chicken salad mix on top, and devour!
You’ll love these easy lunches too!
Pan-Fried Salmon Cakes with Caper Aioli
My Favorite Tuna Salad
Sriracha Ranch Chicken Cobb Salad
Territory Foods
Oh, and PS – if you love these flavors, you’ll love my Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken too!
Wow! This sounds amazing! I can’t wait to give it a try. But, is part of the recipe missing or is it just because I’m on my phone? Step 3 says, “3. For the salad,” and that’s it. Is it maybe hidden behind a photo on my screen? Ingredients list is enough for now. I’m heading to the supermarket. Yum! And thank you!
Hey Kate, yay! Oops, fixed that part! It somehow didn’t all move over from my other document. Thanks for catching that, enjoy the recipe!