With its warm fragrant spices and rich tomato sauce, this excellent vehicle for using up leftover turkey or roast chicken will be a recipe you’ll want to have on repeat. Save yourself some time by using a store-bought rotisserie chicken, which will yield lots of delicious tender meat and the basis of a rich stock. A touch of sweetness from prunes lends a special touch to this hearty stew that’s finished with toasted sesame seeds and fresh, fragrant parsley.
Make ahead
Like many stews, the flavour of this dish improves after a night in the fridge, so feel free to make this the day before you need it. This will get the “hard work” out of the way and give you a quick dish to warm up when you want to enjoy it.
This recipe was originally published in the January 2026 issue of alive magazine.
Moroccan Inspired Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- Whole rotisserie chicken, yielding about 1 lb (450 g) chicken meat and 9 oz (255 g) chicken bones) or equivalent in leftover cooked turkey parts, skin removed
- 1 tsp (5 mL) black peppercorns
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
- Medium carrot, cut into 2 or 3 large sections
- Small onion, halved, skin left on
- 4 cups (1 L) cold water
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 to 3 sprigs fresh parsley, plus 1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped parsley for garnish
- 1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
- 1 tsp (5 mL) coriander
- 2 tsp (10 mL) cumin
- 1 tsp (2 mL) hot smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground cloves
- 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
- 3 Tbsp (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
- Large onion, about 2 1/2 cups (625 mL) sliced lengthwise
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced into matchsticks
- 28 oz (798 mL) can peeled tomatoes
- 4 carrots, sliced into 1 1/2 inch (3.75 cm) pieces to make about 1 cup (250 mL)
- 2 cups (500 mL) diced sweet potato
- 3/4 cup (180 mL) pitted and chopped prunes
- 1 Tbsp (15 mL) apple cider vinegar
- Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Directions
01
Separate meat from chicken and set aside.
02
In medium saucepan, place carcass, leg, and wing bones with peppercorns, 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt, large chunks of carrot, halved onion, water, bay leaf, and sprigs of parsley. Place pan on medium heat and bring to gentle simmer. Simmer for about 1 hour, reducing heat as necessary to keep contents at a low simmer. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly. Strain and discard solids and reserve liquid, which should be about 3 cups (750 mL).
03
In small bowl, combine cinnamon, coriander, cumin, paprika, black pepper, cloves, and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt. Set aside.
04
In large wide pot, add olive oil and sauté onion over medium heat for about 3 minutes, until wilted. Add garlic and continue to sauté for a further 2 minutes. Add spice mix and stir well for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until fragrant. Add carrots and stir to coat thoroughly. Add tomatoes and their liquid, mixing well, scraping up any caramelized bits from bottom of pan. Add in stock and simmer on low for about 30 minutes, adding in sweet potato and prunes at the 10-minute mark. Add chicken 20 minutes later and allow to simmer further for about 10 minutes to allow flavours to meld. Finish with apple cider vinegar.
05
Serve ladled over cooked quinoa or couscous and sprinkled with chopped parsley and sesame seeds.
