Moroccan chicken tagine is a classic North African braise known for tender chicken, preserved lemons, green olives, and a deeply savory onion sauce.
This version builds flavor in a wide pot or tagine with ginger, turmeric, cumin, paprika, and saffron, then simmers gently until the chicken is juicy and the sauce turns glossy.
Use preserved lemon sparingly at first, especially if your jar is very salty. Rinse the rind, discard the pulp, and slice it thinly so it seasons the sauce without overpowering it.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the tagine with couscous, warm flatbread, or simple steamed rice to catch the sauce. A cucumber tomato salad or orange and olive salad makes a bright side.
Recipe Notes
Bone-in chicken thighs stay moist during the braise, but drumsticks also work well. Leftovers keep for up to 3 days and taste even better after the spices settle overnight.
Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives
Equipment
- Large tagine or heavy Dutch oven
- Chef’s knife
- Cutting board
- Tongs
Ingredients
Chicken and Aromatics
- 2 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs about 4 large thighs
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
Spices and Sauce
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch saffron threads optional
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
Finishing
- 1 large preserved lemon rind only, rinsed and thinly sliced
- 1 cup green olives pitted
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley plus more for serving
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice optional, to taste
Instructions
Brown the chicken:
- Pat the chicken dry, then season it all over with the salt and pepper.
- Warm the olive oil in a large tagine or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken skin-side down and brown for 5 to 7 minutes, then turn and brown the second side for 3 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
Build the sauce:
- Add the onions to the pot and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden.
- Stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, and saffron. Cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken stock, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Nestle the chicken back into the sauce, skin-side up.
Braise and finish:
- Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Add the preserved lemon rind and olives. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Stir in the chopped herbs and lemon juice if needed. Taste for salt, then serve hot with couscous, rice, or flatbread.
Notes
- If your preserved lemons are very salty, rinse them well and reduce the initial salt slightly.
- A Dutch oven works well if you do not have a tagine. Keep the heat low so the sauce braises instead of boiling hard.
- For a lighter sauce, skim extra fat from the surface before adding the olives and preserved lemon.