Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Name: Moroccan Chicken Tagine
Cook time: 100 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan Maghreb
Ingredients: 1 Whole Chicken, about 1.5 kg, cut into 8 pieces, skin-on; 2 large Onions, about 400 g, finely sliced or grated; 3 cloves of Garlic, minced; 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 2 tsp Ground Ginger; 1 tsp Ground Turmeric; 1/2 tsp Pepper (Black), freshly ground; 1 tsp Salt, fine; adjust to taste; olives and preserved lemon add salt; 2 tbsp Water, warm, for soaking saffron; 250ml Water; 1 Preserved Lemon, rind only, cut into thin strips; 150g Green Olives, Moroccan-style or Castelvetrano; 15g Cilantro, fresh, chopped (coriander); 15g Flat-Leaf Parsley, fresh, chopped; 1 pinch of Saffron Threads, crumbled

This Moroccan Chicken Tagine is a fragrant, slow-simmered stew of tender chicken steeped in warm spices, preserved lemon and briny olives. Saffron and turmeric give it a golden hue and deep aroma, while fresh cilantro and parsley brighten the finish—ideal spooned over couscous or crusty bread.

This Moroccan Chicken Tagine is a fragrant, slow-simmered stew of tender chicken steeped in warm spices, preserved lemon and briny... Show more

Traditional Moroccan Maghreb Recipe

Health Grade

A · Excellent

Rating

4.4

Time

1 hr40 min

Price

1,73 €

Calories

527 kcal

low calorie

healthy

one pot

gluten free

Method

Prep the aromatics

Peel the Onion and finely slice it or grate it. Peel and mince the Garlic. Rinse and dry the Cilantro and Flat-Leaf Parsley, then chop them. Cut the rind from the Preserved Lemon into thin strips, and crumble the Saffron Threads into 2 tbsp warm Water so it can bloom while you cook.

Season the chicken

If your bird is still whole, cut the Whole Chicken into 8 pieces, then pat the pieces dry. Rub them all over with the Ground Ginger, Ground Turmeric, Pepper (Black), and Salt.

Soften the onions

Heat the Extra Virgin Olive Oil in a tagine or heavy lidded pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until soft and lightly golden, about 8 minutes, then stir in the garlic for the last 30 seconds so it stays fragrant.

Brown the chicken

Add the seasoned chicken pieces, skin-side down, and let them sear without moving them until the bottoms are a rich golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn them over and sear the second side for about 2 minutes, just to give the meat some color.

Simmer the tagine

Pour in the saffron liquid and the remaining 250 ml water, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 40 minutes.

Reduce with olives

Stir in the preserved lemon and the Green Olives, then uncover and reduce until the sauce lightly coats the chicken, about 10 minutes. Taste the sauce before adding anything else, because the olives and lemon bring their own salt.