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Traditional Chicken Tagine with Lemon and Olives

Traditional Chicken Tagine with Lemon and Olives

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Marinating Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Course Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine Moroccan
Servings 4 servings

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven or tagine

Ingredients
  

MARINADE

  • 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs
  • 1 tbsp garlic roughly chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp cilantro/coriander leaves roughly chopped
  • 2 tbsp parsley roughly chopped
  • 1/4 preserved lemon skin part only, discard flesh
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp saffron powder
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

CHICKEN

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup chicken stock or water

TO SERVE

  • 1/4 cup pitted olives black or green
  • 1/2 preserved lemon
  • 1 tbsp cilantro/coriander or parsley chopped

Instructions
 

TRIM & MARINATE THE CHICKEN

  • Remove any excess fat and trim loose pieces of skin from the chicken. Place the chicken in a marinating dish or container.
  • In a food processor, combine all the marinade ingredients(garlic, ginger, cilantro, parsley, preserved lemon, ground cumin, paprika, turmeric, salt, saffron powder, olive oil, and lemon juice). Blend until relatively smooth, scraping down the sides if necessary.
  • Spread the marinade over both sides of the chicken, leaving the skin attached. Cover and refrigerate, allowing the chicken to marinate for at least 2 hours, but overnight if possible.

COOKING

  • Approximately 45 minutes before serving, warm the olive oil in a Dutch oven or a dish with a lid (a tagine is ideal) over medium heat.
  • While the oil is heating, finely chop the onion and add it to the pot, sautéing until softened.
  • Place the chicken in a single layer on top of the onions, initially with the skin side down. You can nestle it down for better contact with the pan. Once the skin gently browns on the first side, turn the chicken over and cook for another couple of minutes.
  • Add the chicken stock or water and bring it to a simmer. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and let it simmer for approximately 45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
  • In the final minutes, prepare the preserved lemon by removing the fleshy part and cutting the skin into thin slices. Finely chop the cilantro and/or parsley.
  • Add the olives, preserved lemon, and cilantro/parsley to the chicken and cook for another minute or add them over the finished dish when serving.
Keyword Chicken Tagine, Moroccan Tagine, Tagine
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