Pan-Seared Chicken with Date and Walnut Tagine Sauce

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-22 · Updated 2026-05-22

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Juicy seared chicken breasts served with a rich, sweet, and nutty tagine-inspired sauce featuring dates and walnuts. This Middle Eastern-inspired chicken recipe (gluten free), ready in about 35 minutes, pairs boneless chicken breasts, olive oil, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 350 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with rice, quinoa, or a quick salad. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 10 min Cook: 25 min Serves 4 Middle Eastern cuisine 350 cal/serving

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Ingredients

4 pieces (6 oz each) boneless chicken breasts
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium, finely chopped onion
3, minced garlic cloves
1/2 cup, chopped pitted dates
1/3 cup, chopped walnuts
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp, chopped fresh cilantro

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Instructions

Step 1: Pat dry 4 boneless chicken breasts (6 oz each) and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sear the chicken for 5 minutes per side until golden and cooked through; transfer to a plate and cover loosely.
Step 2: In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil, then sauté 1 medium finely chopped onion and 3 minced garlic cloves over medium heat for 4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Step 3: Stir in 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates, 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, 1 tsp ground cumin, and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; cook for 2 minutes until the spices bloom and the dates soften.
Step 4: Pour in 1 cup chicken broth and 2 tbsp lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits; simmer for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
Step 5: Return the chicken breasts to the skillet, spoon sauce over, and heat through for 2 minutes.
Step 6: Garnish with 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro before serving.