Slow-braised chicken in a fragrant saffron and ginger sauce, finished with briny olives and preserved lemon, Morocco's signature tagine.
This is the tagine most associated with Morocco abroad, named for the conical clay pot it's traditionally cooked in, which allows steam to circulate and condense back down onto the food, keeping the chicken moist through a long, slow braise. The sauce starts with a base of onion cooked down until jammy, then bloomed with saffron, ginger, and turmeric, giving the dish its signature golden color and warm, earthy aroma well before the chicken even goes in. Preserved lemon and green olives are added only in the final stretch of cooking so their briny intensity stays bright rather than muddying into the sauce, finishing the dish with the salty-tart contrast that makes this combination so distinctly Moroccan.
Serves 4
Heat olive oil in a wide, heavy pot and brown chicken pieces on both sides, about 8 minutes total; remove and set aside.
In the same pot, cook onions over medium-low heat until deeply softened and golden, about 15 minutes.
Add garlic, saffron, ginger, turmeric and cumin, stirring 1 minute until fragrant.
Return chicken to the pot with stock and salt; bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low 35-40 minutes until the chicken is very tender.
Stir in preserved lemon rind, a spoon of the preserved lemon pulp, and olives; simmer uncovered 10 more minutes to let the sauce reduce slightly.
Add olives and preserved lemon late so their bright, briny flavor doesn't cook away.
Scatter with cilantro and serve with crusty bread or couscous to soak up the sauce.
Cook the onions low and slow until truly jammy — this long caramelization is the backbone of the sauce's sweetness.
Rinse the olives briefly if you find them overly salty, especially if your preserved lemons are already very salty.
A real clay tagine pot helps but isn't essential; a heavy Dutch oven with a tight lid achieves nearly the same slow braise.
Lamb shoulder can replace chicken for a richer, longer-braised version of the same sauce.
Some regions add whole almonds along with the olives for extra texture.
A version with artichoke hearts instead of olives is popular in coastal areas.
Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container; the flavor improves the next day. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.
Tagine cooking is central to Moroccan cuisine, with the conical clay pot's design dating back centuries as a method for slow-cooking meat with minimal water in an arid climate, and chicken with preserved lemon and olives remains one of its most celebrated combinations.
No, a heavy lidded Dutch oven works just as well for home cooking, though a clay tagine does add a subtle earthenware flavor.
Some stores carry jarred preserved lemon; otherwise, quick-preserve lemon wedges in salt and lemon juice for a few hours as a rough substitute.
It likely needs more salt or a splash of the preserved lemon brine itself, which carries concentrated savory flavor beyond the rind.
Per serving (380g / 13.4 oz) · 4 servings total
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