Moroccan Chicken Tagine
Servings 4 people
Calories 500kcal
Cost $10
Equipment
- Tagine pot Replace with deep skillet with lid
- Head diffuser
Ingredients
For the Chicken Tagine:
- 800 g bone-in chicken pieces (thighs or a mix of parts)
- 1 medium preserved lemon
- ½ cup green olives (I prefer pitted olives)
- 1 large white or yellow onion finely diced
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin Moroccan olive oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Butter optional, for brushing
For the Chicken Charmoula
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin Moroccan olive oil
- Chopped pulp of 1 preserved lemon
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves plus more for garnish
- A pinch of saffron dissolve in ¼ cup warm water
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Prepare the Charmoula Sauce (Marinade)
- In a large bowl, mix together the ground ginger, ground turmeric, minced garlic, 1 tbsp extra virgin Moroccan olive oil, chopped pulp of the preserved lemon, chopped fresh cilantro leaves, saffron, ground coriander, black pepper, salt, and ground cinnamon to create the sharmoula sauce.
Marinate the Chicken
- Add the chicken pieces to the bowl containing the chermoula sauce. Rub the sauce thoroughly into all the chicken pieces, ensuring they are well coated. Allow the chicken to marinate in the refrigerator for at least an hour, or you can proceed to cook immediately if short on time.
Prepare the Ingredients
- While the chicken is marinating, dice the onion finely. If using a food processor, pulse a few times to achieve a fine chop without turning it into a puree.
Cooking Process
- Heat a large, deep skillet or a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add a tablespoon of Moroccan olive oil and the diced onions.
- Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pan, reserving the excess sharmoula sauce for later.
- Sear the chicken on all sides until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes per side.
- Pour the reserved sharmoula sauce over the chicken, strips of preserved lemon peel, and green olives. If necessary, add a little water to ensure there is enough liquid to simmer the chicken in.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the skillet or Dutch oven and let the chicken cook for about 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Finishing Touches
- Once the chicken is cooked and tender, if the sauce is too watery, you can remove the chicken and keep it warm while you increase the heat and reduce the sauce to your desired consistency.
- Adjust the seasoning if necessary, then return the chicken.
- Optional: For golden, crispy skin, brush the chicken with butter and broil in a preheated oven while the sauce is simmering.
Serving
- Serve the chicken hot, garnished with additional chopped fresh cilantro leaves. This dish goes well with Moroccan homemade bread.
Notes
Watch out for salt: When cooking with preserved lemons and olives, don't add more salt until you've tasted the dish’s sauce. Rinse the lemons and olives to cut down on their salt, keeping flavors in check.
Garnish: In addition to cilantro and lemon, we usually garnish our Chicken tagine with french fries. It’s a very tasty combination.
Cooking Utensil: If available, cook this dish in a traditional Moroccan tagine. The unique shape of a tagine helps circulate steam and flavors, tenderizing the chicken and intensifying the dish's aromatic qualities. If you don’t have a tagine, a low Dutch oven works well as a substitute.