Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives
A fragrant Moroccan chicken tagine made with bone-in chicken thighs, preserved lemons, green olives, warm spices, and a silky onion sauce.
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 43gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 185mgSodium: 980mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g