Cuisine: Moroccan
Region: Common
This traditional Moroccan Chicken Tagine recipe is simply mouthwatering. Let’s get to work, shall we?
Serves: 6-8
Cooking time: 55 to 65 min
You need: a heavy skillet or tagine and a mixing bowl
Notes: requires marinading for 4-5 hours
Ingredients
- 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1/4 to 1/2 Tsp saffron threads, pulverized
- 1/2 Tsp ground ginger
- 1+1/2 Tsp sweet paprika
- 1/2 Tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 Tsp turmeric
- 1/2 Tsp of salt
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 12 – 14 pieces of chicken (thighs with bone and skin are best)
- 2-3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium onions, sliced thin
- 1 medium cinnamon stick
- 12 – 14 Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
- 12 – 14 cracked green olives, pitted and halved
- 3 – 4 small preserved lemons (sold in specialty food shops). Or just lemons. (Make sure they are not waxed.)
- 1+1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 Tbsp honey (stirred in the chicken stock)
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Mix garlic, saffron, ginger, paprika, cumin, turmeric and 1/2 Tsp salt together.
- Add pepper to taste.
- Rub the chicken with the mixture, cover, then refrigerate and marinate for 4 to 5 hours.
- Heat the oil in heavy skillet.
- Add the chicken, and brown on all sides.
- Remove the chicken to a platter.
- Add onions to the skillet, and cook over medium-low heat until lightly browned, about 15 minutes.
- While waiting, quarter the lemons, remove the pulp and cut the lemon skin in strips.
- Is you’re using a tagine, transfer the onions to it. If not, leave the onions in the skillet.
- Put the chicken on the onions.
- Add the cinnamon stick.
- Scatter the olives and lemon slices over the chicken.
- Mix the honey and the lemon juice into the chicken stock.
- Pour the mixture over the chicken.
- Cover the tagine or skillet.
- Place over low heat, and cook about 40- 50 minutes, until chicken is done.
- Scatter the parsley on top, and serve.
Notes on the Chicken Tagine
- This recipe does depend on the chicken stock you’ll use. If that’s helpful, you will find a recipe for (European style) chicken broth, here.