Easy Chicken Tagine With Olives and Preserved Lemons
Chicken tagine is a classic Moroccan dish that is made with slow-cooked chicken, vegetables, and spices. It is a hearty and flavorful dish that is perfect for a cold winter day.
This recipe for chicken tagine features olives and preserved lemons, giving the dish a unique and delicious flavor. Preserved lemons have been cured in salt and spices, adding a tart and briny flavor to the tagine. The olives add a salty and briny flavor and a bit of texture.
This recipe is easy to make and can be adapted to your own taste. You can use any chicken you like and add or remove vegetables as you see fit. I like to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, but you could also use boneless chicken breasts or thighs.
I typically add vegetables to this tagine onions, carrots, and potatoes. You could also add zucchini, bell peppers, or other vegetables that you like.
The spices that I use in this tagine are cumin, coriander, turmeric, and ginger. You can adjust the amount of spices to your own taste. Before we start cooking, let’s learn a little bit about tagine.
What is a tagine, and how does it work?
A tagine is a conical-shaped cooking pot with a lid that fits snugly inside. It is typically made of glazed earthenware or ceramic and can be used on the stovetop or in the oven.
The tagine’s conical shape helps trap steam, which cooks the food slowly and evenly. The steam also helps to keep the food moist, resulting in a flavorful and tender dish.
Tagines are typically used for cooking stews, tagines, and other slow-cooked dishes. They are popular in North African cuisine and are becoming increasingly popular in other parts of the world.
Here are some of the benefits of cooking with a tagine:
- Slow cooking: The tagine’s conical shape helps trap steam, which cooks the food slowly and evenly. This results in a flavorful and tender dish.
- Moisture retention: The steam also helps to keep the food moist, which is important for dishes like stews and tagines.
- Flavor: The tagine’s unique shape and materials help to impart a unique flavor to the food that is cooked in it.
- Versatility: Tagines can be used on the stovetop or in the oven, making them a versatile cooking vessel.
If you are looking for a way to cook flavorful and tender dishes, a tagine is a great option. They are relatively easy to use and can be found in various sizes and materials.
Here are some additional tips for cooking with a tagine:
- Use a tagine that is the right size for the amount of food you are cooking. A too-small tagine will not allow the food to cook evenly, and a too-large tagine will not trap enough steam.
- Season the tagine before using it. This will help to prevent food from sticking to the pot.
- Start with a hot tagine. This will help to sear the food and lock in the flavor.
- Cook the food over low heat. This will help prevent the food from burning and allow the flavors to develop slowly.
- Cover the tagine tightly. This will help to trap the steam and cook the food evenly.
- Let the food rest before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld and the juices to redistribute.
Here are some additional facts about chicken tagine:
- The name “tagine” comes from the Berber word “taġīnt,” which means “earthenware pot.”
- Chicken Tagine is typically made with chicken, vegetables, and spices, but it can also be made with other meats, such as lamb or beef.
- Chicken Tagine is typically cooked over low heat for several hours, which allows the flavors to develop slowly.
- The dish is often served with couscous or rice.
- Chicken Tagine is a popular dish in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and other parts of North Africa.
How to make Chicken Tagine
Ingredients:
- Garlic Cloves
- Saffron threads, pulverized
- Ground ginger
- Sweet paprika
- Ground cumin
- Turmeric
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Chicken legs or thighs or a mixture of both
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Onions
- Cinnamon stick
- Calamata olives, pitted and halved
- Cracked green olives, pitted and halved
- Preserved lemons (sold in specialty food shops)
- Chicken stock
- Juice of fresh lemon
- Flat-leaf parsley
Instructions:
- Heat the olive oil in a large tagine or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add the chicken thighs and cook until browned on all sides.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Add the onion, carrots, and potato to the pot and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add the pot’s olives, preserved lemon, cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, salt, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Return the chicken to the pot and add the chicken broth.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Serve hot with couscous or rice.
Here are some recommended side dishes and accompaniments for chicken tagine:
- Couscous: Couscous is a North African staple that is often served with tagines. It is a small, steamed pasta that is made from semolina flour. Couscous can be plain or flavored with spices like saffron or turmeric.
- Rice: Rice is another popular side dish for tagines. It can be white or brown rice, and it can be cooked plain or flavored with spices.
- Vegetables: Tagines are often served with vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, and onions. These vegetables can be cooked in the tagine with the chicken or served on the side.
- Salad: A salad is a refreshing side dish that can help to balance out the richness of the tagine. A simple salad of lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers would be a good choice.
- Flatbread: Flatbread is a versatile bread that can be served with tagines. It can be used to scoop up the stew, or it can be used to make sandwiches.
- Fruit: Fruit is a light and refreshing dessert that can be served after a tagine. Some good choices include oranges, figs, and dates.
No matter what side dishes or accompaniments you choose, be sure to enjoy your chicken tagine with some good company. Tagines are meant to be shared, so gather your friends and family and enjoy this delicious dish together.
Notes and Tips:
- You can cook this dish in a large pot if you don’t have a tagine or Dutch oven. Just make sure to cover the pot so that the chicken cooks evenly.
- You can use lemon juice or vinegar if you don’t have preserved lemons.
- You can adjust the amount of spices to your own taste. If you like your food spicy, add more cumin, coriander, and turmeric. If you prefer a milder flavor, add fewer spices.
- This dish is best served hot. It can be reheated if necessary.
Here are some additional tips for making the Chicken Tagine:
- You can cook this dish in a large pot if you don’t have a tagine or Dutch oven. Just make sure to cover the pot so that the chicken cooks evenly.
- You can use lemon juice or vinegar if you don’t have preserved lemons.
- You can adjust the amount of spices to your own taste. If you like your food spicy, add more cumin, coriander, and turmeric. If you prefer a milder flavor, add fewer spices.
- This dish is best served hot. It can be reheated if necessary.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for chicken tagine with olives and preserved lemons! It is a delicious and hearty dish that is perfect for a cold winter day.
This dish is originally from cooking.nytimes.com.
Chicken Tagine With Olives and Preserved Lemons
Equipment
- Tagine
Ingredients
- 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon saffron threads pulverized
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 6 pieces of chicken 6 legs or 4 thighs or a mixture of both
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 medium onions sliced thin
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 8 calamata olives pitted and halved
- 8 cracked green olives pitted and halved
- 1 large or 3 small preserved lemons sold in specialty food shops
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Instructions
- Mix garlic, saffron, ginger, paprika, cumin, and turmeric together + tbsp olive oil. Add pepper to taste. Rub chicken with mixture, cover, refrigerate, and marinate for 3 to 4 hours.
- Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Shake off the extra seasoning from the chicken, add to the pan, and brown on all sides. Remove to platter.
- Add the remaining seasoning from the chicken pieces to the skillet.
- Add onions to skillet, cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes, string occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer to tagine, if you are using one, or leave in skillet. Add cinnamon stick.
- Put chicken on onions. Scatter with olives. Quarter the lemons, remove the pulp, and cut the skin into strips. Scatter over chicken. Mix stock and lemon juice. Pour over the chicken.
- Cover tagine or skillet. Place over low heat, and cook for about 30 minutes, until chicken is done. Scatter parsley on top, and serve.
Notes
-
- You can cook this dish in a large pot if you don’t have a tagine or Dutch oven. Just make sure to cover the pot so that the chicken cooks evenly.
-
- You can use lemon juice or vinegar if you don’t have preserved lemons.
-
- You can adjust the amount of spices to your own taste. If you like your food spicy, add more cumin, coriander, and turmeric. If you prefer a milder flavor, add fewer spices.
-
- This dish is best served hot. It can be reheated if necessary.
Here are some additional tips for making the Chicken Tagine:
-
- You can cook this dish in a large pot if you don’t have a tagine or Dutch oven. Just make sure to cover the pot so that the chicken cooks evenly.
-
- You can use lemon juice or vinegar if you don’t have preserved lemons.
-
- You can adjust the amount of spices to your own taste. If you like your food spicy, add more cumin, coriander, and turmeric. If you prefer a milder flavor, add fewer spices.
-
- This dish is best served hot. It can be reheated if necessary.
Nutrition
Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.
Nutrition info is automatically generated and provided as a courtesy and as an estimate only.
