Chicken Tagine

Ramped up with green olives and preserved lemons for a traditional slow-cooked Moroccan recipe with juicy chicken thighs, onions, and spices. The aroma wafting from your kitchen will have the entire family crowding around. And don't panic if you don't have specialized equipment! You can do this surprisingly simple dish without a tagine.

Course dinner, Entree, Main Course

Cuisine African, Moroccan

Diet Gluten Free

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Servings

Calories 452kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

Tagine Chicken and Marinade

6 medium chicken thighs, bone-in and excess fat and skin trimmed
salt and pepper to taste
½ teaspoon (2-3g) ginger, minced
1 teaspoon (5g) garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (3g) ground cumin
1 teaspoon (2-3g) smoked paprika

Chicken Tagine

2 tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
3 teaspoons (15g) garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (5g) ginger, minced
1 teaspoon (2g) ground coriander
½ tablespoon (3-4g) paprika
1 teaspoon (3g) ground cumin
2 small bay leaves
½ teaspoon (1g) cayenne pepper
1 14-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cup (80g) apricots
1 cup (240ml) chicken stock or water, more as needed
1 large preserved lemon or 3 small, sliced (or zest and juice from one lemon)
1½ cups (270g) green olives

Garnish

1 tablespoon (4g) fresh parsley, chopped
1 lemon, thinly sliced plus extra for serving

Instructions

Tagine Chicken Marinade

Place chicken thighs in a large bowl, then season with salt and pepper. Next, add the garlic, ginger, cumin, and paprika.
Mix chicken with a spoon or hands until well coated with spices. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use or marinate for up to 24 hours.

Preparing the Chicken Tagine

When ready to cook, heat a skillet or large saucepan with about 2 tablespoons of oil, and then brown the chicken for 3-5 minutes until the chicken is golden brown. Remove and set aside. Drain excess oil from the skillet. (Use an oven-proof skillet for the oven-baked version.)
Add onions, garlic, ginger, coriander, smoked paprika, cumin, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, and salt to taste. Stir for 3-4 minutes for the flavors to develop and the onions wilt.
Add chickpeas, apricots, and preserved lemons. Pour in chicken stock, and then add the olives. Season with salt and pepper, being careful with the salt.
Return the chicken to the pan along with the juice from the chicken and sliced lemons.

Oven-Baked Chicken Tagine

Preheat oven to 325℉/163℃. Place the chicken in the oven and bake for about 35 minutes.
Remove from the oven, garnish with parsley and more lemon slices, and serve with Moroccan couscous or white rice.

Stovetop Chicken Tagine

Reduce heat and cook covered for about 25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. As the chicken cooks, add more liquid if needed. Adjust seasonings to taste.
Remove from the heat, garnish with parsley and more lemon slices, and serve with Moroccan couscous or white rice.

Notes

If you do not have preserved lemons, no worries, use lemon zest and fresh lemon juice instead.
Take it easy with the salt. Olives are pretty salty, so you may not need to put much more.
Marinating the chicken is an important step. Your taste buds will thank you if you don't skip it. In fact, it's better if you can start it marinating the night before.
This recipe may seem dry, but don't be tempted to add more liquid. Unless, of course, it's completely dry on the bottom and starting to stick.
Cutting the chicken into serving size pieces makes it easier to marinate and fit in the pot.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition