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Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons and Olives

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A fragrant Moroccan chicken tagine made with bone-in chicken thighs, preserved lemons, green olives, warm spices, and a silky onion sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Moroccan
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

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

Equipment

  • Large tagine or heavy Dutch oven
  • Chef's knife
  • Cutting board
  • Tongs

Method
 

Brown the chicken:
  1. Pat the chicken dry, then season it all over with the salt and pepper.
  2. 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:
  1. Add the onions to the pot and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until softened and lightly golden.
  2. Stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, and saffron. Cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant.
  3. 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:
  1. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer gently for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
  2. Add the preserved lemon rind and olives. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly.
  3. Stir in the chopped herbs and lemon juice if needed. Taste for salt, then serve hot with couscous, rice, or flatbread.

Nutrition

Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 43gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 185mgSodium: 980mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4g

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.