DinnerMain Course

Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives

Name: Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: moroccan
Ingredients: 800 g chicken thigh bone-in, skin-on; 1 pcs yellow onion finely chopped; 3 clove garlic minced; 2 tbsp ginger grated; 1 tsp turmeric ground; 1 tsp cumin ground; 1 tsp paprika ground; 0.5 tsp cinnamon ground; 0.5 tsp coriander ground; 0.25 tsp saffron thread soaked in 2 tbsp hot water (optional); 1.5 cup chicken broth; 0.5 pcs preserved lemon pulp removed, rind thinly sliced; 0.5 cup green olive pitted; 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped; 0.25 cup fresh parsley chopped; 2 tbsp olive oil; 0.5 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp black pepper ground

This aromatic Moroccan tagine features tender chicken braised with a rich blend of spices, tangy preserved lemons, and briny olives. It's a comforting and flavorful one-pot meal that's perfect for a special dinner or meal prepping.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time: 1 hr 20 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Per serving: 549 kcal

Gluten-free

Mise en place

Ingredients

800 gchicken thigh, bone-in, skin-on
1 pcsyellow onion, finely chopped
3 clovegarlic, minced
2 tbspginger, grated
1 tspturmeric, ground
1 tspcumin, ground
1 tsppaprika, ground
0.5 tspcinnamon, ground
0.5 tspcoriander, ground
0.25 tspsaffron thread, soaked in 2 tbsp hot water(optional)
1.5 cupchicken broth
0.5 pcspreserved lemon, pulp removed, rind thinly sliced
0.5 cupgreen olive, pitted
0.25 cupfresh cilantro, chopped
0.25 cupfresh parsley, chopped
2 tbspolive oil
0.5 tspsalt
0.25 tspblack pepper, ground

Equipment

measuring spoon · measuring cup · tagine · dutch oven · knife · cutting board

The method

Step by step

1
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season them generously with salt and black pepper.
About 2 min
2
Heat the olive oil in a large tagine or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
About 1 min
3
Sear the chicken thighs skin-side down for 5-7 minutes until golden brown and crispy, then flip and sear for another 3-4 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Searing adds flavor and helps render the fat.
4
Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened and translucent, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
About 7 min
5
Stir in the minced garlic, grated ginger, ground turmeric, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and coriander. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Be careful not to burn the spices.
6
Pour in the chicken broth and the saffron threads (if using) with their soaking liquid, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze.
About 1 min
7
Return the chicken thighs to the pot, nestling them into the liquid and spices.
About 1 min
8
Bring the liquid to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
About 40 min
Cook’s note: If using a tagine, ensure the lid is properly sealed to trap steam.
9
Stir in the sliced preserved lemon rind and green olives. Continue to cook for another 5-10 minutes, uncovered, to allow the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
About 10 min
10
Remove the tagine from the heat and stir in the fresh cilantro and parsley.
About 1 min
11
Serve hot, perhaps with couscous or crusty bread.

Per serving

Nutrition

74%Score

Calories: 548.6kcal
Protein: 54.4g
Carbs: 8.7g
Fat: 32.5g
Fibre: 2.4g
Sugar: 2.1g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover chicken tagine in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave until warmed through.