Tagine Chicken with Apricots, Dates and Chickpeas - A Zest for Life

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds boneless and skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat (about 8 large thighs)
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• half lemon, juiced
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• 8 grates freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cups onion, peeled, 3/4" chunks
• 4 medium colored carrots, peeled, 1/2" slice
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled with your fingertips and soaked in 1 T. warm water for 10 minutes
• 1 ½ teaspoons harissa sauce*, or red chili paste (or crushed red chiles to taste)
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup finely cut tomatoes in juice
• 2 cups chicken stock, can use vegetable stock*, preferably homemade
• 4 large dates, pitted, cut into thin strips
• 12 dried apricots cut in half vertically
• 1 cup chickpeas, cooked, drained
• ¼ cup fresh parsley, cleaned dried, coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup sliced natural almonds, toasted