andrejthechef
Middle EastStewDinnerGluten-freeDairy-free

Chicken Tagine

The Moroccan classic: chicken braised with saffron, ginger and melted onions, finished with preserved lemon and olives. Bread, not cutlery.

prep
20 min
cook
1 h
total
1 h 20 min
serves
4
level
easy
Tagine, a classic from Morocco.

This is the great Marrakech tagine: chicken with preserved lemon and olives, in the m’qualli style built on saffron, ginger and turmeric, with grated onion that melts entirely into the sauce.

The preserved lemon is the whole upper register of the dish, salty and floral at once. A jar lasts a year and improves everything it meets, so buying one is not a commitment, it is an upgrade.

Chicken Tagine is one of the world's classic dishes from 67 countries.

method

  1. Brown the chicken lightly in the oil in a tagine or heavy pot and set aside.

  2. Cook the grated onion in the same oil for 8 minutes until collapsed, then add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and the saffron with its water.

  3. Return the chicken, add a half cup of water, cover, and simmer gently for 40 minutes, turning once.

  4. Add the preserved lemon peel and olives for the final 10 minutes.

  5. Reduce the sauce uncovered if loose, stir in the herbs, and serve from the pot with bread for scooping.

chef's tips

  • Grated onion disappears into sauce; sliced onion stays onion. Grate it.
  • In Morocco this is eaten with bread, not couscous; the sauce is the argument for it.
  • A heavy dutch oven with the lid cracked mimics a tagine’s gentle self-basting well.