Spiced Game Bird Tagine with Apricots and Almonds

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-24 · Updated 2026-06-24

A fragrant Moroccan-inspired tagine featuring tender game bird braised with warm spices, sweet dried apricots, and toasted almonds. This Mediterranean-inspired game-day recipe, ready in about 80 minutes, pairs game bird thighs, olive oil, yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 410 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. 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.

Ingredients

• 4 (about 1.5 lbs total) game bird thighs
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 1 large, thinly sliced yellow onion
• 4 minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup, halved dried apricots
• 1/3 cup, chopped toasted almonds
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a heavy skillet or tagine pot over medium-high heat. Season 4 game bird thighs with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Brown the thighs for 5-6 minutes per side until golden, then remove and set aside.
2. Step 2: Reduce heat to medium and add 1 large thinly sliced yellow onion and 4 minced garlic cloves. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Step 3: Stir in 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp ground ginger. Cook spices with onion mixture for 1 minute to release aromas.
4. Step 4: Return the game bird thighs to the pot, add 2 cups chicken broth and 1 cup halved dried apricots. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 50 minutes until the meat is tender and sauce slightly thickened.
5. Step 5: Garnish with 1/3 cup chopped toasted almonds and 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro before serving with couscous or flatbread.