Chicken Tagine With Preserved Lemons
This is a classic Moroccan stew featuring tender chicken thighs slow-cooked in a fragrant blend of spices. Salty preserved lemons and briny green olives provide a signature tangy flavor that balances the warmth of the spices. It's a comforting and aromatic one-pot meal perfect for a special dinner.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 1 hr 25 min
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 485 kcal
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
Ingredients
- 650 gboneless, skinless chicken thigh, cut into large chunks
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 1 pcsyellow onion, finely chopped
- 4 clovegarlic, minced
- 1 tbspfresh ginger, grated
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1 tspground coriander
- 1 tspturmeric powder
- 1 tspsweet paprika
- 0.5 tspground cinnamon
- 0.5 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
- 480 mlchicken broth
- 1 pcspreserved lemon, pulp discarded, rind rinsed and finely chopped
- 1 pinchsaffron, threads(optional)
- 100 ggreen olive, pitted
garnish
- 0.25 cupfresh cilantro, chopped
- 0.25 cupfresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Equipment
dutch oven or tagine · large bowl · wooden spoon · cutting board · knife
The method
Step by step
- 1
In a large bowl, combine the chicken chunks with the ground cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, paprika, ground cinnamon, and black pepper. Toss well to coat evenly.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Letting the chicken sit in the spices for a few minutes while you prep other ingredients can deepen the flavor.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a tagine or large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
About 2 min
- 3
Sear the chicken in a single layer until golden brown on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Work in batches if needed and set the seared chicken aside on a plate.
About 8 min
Cook’s note: Do not overcrowd the pan, as this will steam the chicken instead of searing it.
- 4
Reduce the heat to medium, add the chopped onion to the same pot, and sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened and translucent.
About 7 min
- 5
Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger, and cook for about one minute more until fragrant.
About 1 min
- 6
Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
About 2 min
Cook’s note: Those browned bits are full of flavor, so make sure to get them all.
- 7
Return the seared chicken and any juices from the plate back into the pot. Add the chopped preserved lemon rind and saffron threads, if using.
About 2 min
- 8
Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 40 minutes.
About 40 min
Cook’s note: If using a traditional tagine, check occasionally to ensure there is enough liquid and it's not boiling too rapidly.
- 9
Stir in the pitted green olives, cover again, and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.
About 8 min
- 10
Turn off the heat. Garnish with fresh cilantro and parsley before serving.
Cook’s note: Serve with couscous, quinoa, or crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 485.4kcal
- Protein
- 45.3g
- Carbs
- 9.6g
- Fat
- 29.4g
- Fibre
- 2.8g
- Sugar
- 2.2g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Gently reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave until warmed through.
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