Go Back
A serving of chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives on a cream plate with Moroccan bread

Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Olives

Chicken thighs braised with onions, garlic, ginger and saffron, finished with preserved lemon and green olives. One pot, mostly hands-off.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Moroccan
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.2 kg bone-in chicken thighs 6 to 8 thighs, about 2.5 lb
  • 2 large onions thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves minced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil 60 ml
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin optional
  • 1/2 tsp sweet paprika optional
  • 1 pinch saffron threads soaked in 3 tbsp warm water
  • 1 cup water 240 ml
  • 1 small bunch cilantro chopped
  • 1 small bunch parsley chopped
  • 1 to 2 preserved lemons quartered
  • 1 cup green olives rinsed
  • salt to taste, at the end

Equipment

  • Clay tagine with a heat diffuser, or a Dutch oven with a lid

Method
 

  1. Crush the saffron threads and soak them in 3 tablespoons of warm water for 5 minutes.
  2. Heat the olive oil in the tagine base (on a heat diffuser) or in a heavy pot over low to medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, pepper, and cumin and paprika if using. Stir for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the chicken and turn it in the spiced onions for about 10 minutes, until the skin takes on color.
  4. Add the saffron water, the water and half of the herbs. Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes, until the chicken is tender. Add a splash of water if the sauce gets too low.
  5. Add the preserved lemon and olives. Simmer uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
  6. Taste and add salt only if needed. Top with the rest of the herbs and serve from the pot with bread.

Notes

  • Clay tagine: always use low heat and a heat diffuser, and never put a cold tagine on a hot burner.
  • No preserved lemon: use the zest of 1 lemon plus 1 tbsp lemon juice in the last 10 minutes.
  • Chicken breast: cut into large pieces and simmer 20 minutes instead of 45.
  • Keeps 3 days in the fridge and 2 months in the freezer.
  • Chicken is safe to eat at 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part.