To make the marinade, mix all the marinade ingredients in a large flat dish such as a Le Creuset gratin dish. Add the chicken thighs and turn them in the marinade so they are well coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight.
Heat the oil in the tagine base over medium heat on the hob. Add the onion and fry gently until it is just beginning to brown; remove from the pan.
Drain the chicken, discarding the marinade, and pat dry with paper towels. Add the chicken pieces to the tagine and fry until they are evenly brown.
4 Return the onion to the tagine with the sugar, wine, and orange zest. Stir well and add a little more salt and pepper.
Cover with the tagine lid and simmer over very low heat for 1 1/2 hours.
Add the apricots, re-cover, and continue simmering for 1 1/2 hours until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
When the chicken is cooked, remove the lid and boil the sauce for a few minutes until it becomes syrupy. Sprinkle liberally with the chopped coriander and serve with plain steamed couscous, or boiled, plain long-grain rice.
This recipe can also be made with diced leg of lamb, in which case allow another hour for cooking. Since this dish is both spicy and sweet, it is well suited to a slightly sweet German Riesling or Gewürtztraminer. Try a Spatlese level of sweetness for best results.