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Moroccan Chicken Tagine
Ingredients
- ¼ tspsaffron threads
- ½ cchicken broth or water
- 1preserved lemon
- 3garlic cloves
peeled, crushed
- 1 tspkosher salt
- ¼ tspfreshly ground black pepper
- 2 tsppaprika
- 1 tspground cumin
- 1 tspground ginger
- ½ tspaleppo chili flakes
- ¼ cchopped fresh parsley
- ¼ cchopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 2 tbspolive oil
- 6chicken thighs
- 1 largeyellow onion
diced
- ¼ tspkosher salt
- ⅛ tspground cinnamon
- ⅛ tspground turmeric
- 1 cpitted green olives
halved
Directions
- 1
Combine saffron threads with boiling hot chicken broth or water in a small bowl; steep until cooled to room temperature, 20 to 30 minutes.
- 2
Cut preserved lemon into quarters. Use a small knife to trim the flesh from the peel. Remove and discard any seeds, and finely chop the flesh. Transfer into a small bowl; reserve until needed. Slice each piece of peel in half to make 8 strips total; reserve until needed.
- 3
To prepare chicken for marinating, make 2 cuts into the skin side of each thigh, down to the bone, about 1 inch apart. Transfer chicken into a resealable plastic bag; place bag in a bowl to catch any leakage.
- 4
For marinade, add finely chopped preserved lemon flesh into a bowl; add garlic, salt, black pepper, paprika, cumin, ginger, Aleppo chili flakes, parsley, cilantro, and olive oil. Pour in steeped saffron liquid, and whisk thoroughly until emulsified.
- 5
Pour marinade into the bag of chicken thighs. Massage chicken with your hands on the outside of the bag until evenly coated with marinade. Squeeze out any air and seal the bag tightly. Marinate in the refrigerator for 3 to 12 hours, turning bag over and massaging occasionally.
- 6
Carefully remove chicken thighs to a plate, and scrape any excess marinade back into the bag while doing so. Reserve excess marinade for sauce.
- 7
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat in a heavy-duty braising pan, or other type of pan with a tight-fitting lid. Once hot, place the chicken in, skin side down. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the skin is browned, and fat has rendered. The skin may stick and tear, but that will not affect the final dish. Turn off heat; remove chicken to a plate and reserve.
- 8
Turn heat back up to medium-high, and add onion, salt, cinnamon, and turmeric to the pan. Cook, stirring for a few minutes, or until onions turn translucent and start to soften. Place chicken thighs back in, skin side up, and pour over any juices from the plate. Distribute the reserved excess marinade over the top of chicken.
- 9
As soon as juices in the bottom of the pan start to bubble, cover tightly, and reduce heat to low. Cook, covered, for 1 hour.
- 10
Uncover pan, and baste chicken with cooking liquid. Scatter green olives and reserved lemon peel over the top, and baste again.
- 11
Cover; cook until chicken is very tender and will easily pull away from the bone, 15 to 20 minutes more.
- 12
Raise heat up to medium-high, and cook, uncovered, to reduce the cooking liquid until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. The sauce can be left thin and brothy, or cooked further to reduce to a glaze, or anywhere in between.
- 13
Garnish with fresh parsley, cilantro sprigs, and another dusting of chili flakes.
Moroccan Chicken Tagine
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Based on 10 ratings
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About this Recipe
Dreaming of the vibrant, aromatic flavors of Morocco right in your own kitchen? This Moroccan Chicken Tagine recipe, inspired by Chef John, brings the authentic taste of North Africa to your dinner table, delivering what might just be the best lemon chicken you’ll ever make.
What truly sets this tagine apart is its commitment to traditional Moroccan ingredients. The careful infusion of preserved lemon, briny green olives, and delicate saffron creates a depth of flavor that is both complex and incredibly satisfying. These elements, combined with a robust blend of warming spices, build a truly memorable dish that outshines typical lemon chicken preparations.
Expect incredibly tender chicken thighs, slow-cooked until they practically melt in your mouth, enveloped in a rich, savory sauce. The preserved lemon offers a distinctive tangy and floral brightness that cuts through the richness, while the olives add a pleasant saltiness and textural contrast. Each bite offers a harmonious blend of earthy cumin, spicy Aleppo chili, fragrant ginger, and subtle cinnamon, all underscored by the unique golden essence of saffron. This dish is comforting, exotic, and surprisingly easy to achieve, even if you’re cooking it in a simple skillet rather than a traditional tagine pot.
Feel free to customize this Moroccan Chicken Tagine to your preference. While chicken thighs are fantastic for their juiciness, you could experiment with other dark meat cuts. For a different flavor profile, consider adding a handful of chickpeas or dried apricots towards the end of cooking for sweetness. You can easily adjust the amount of Aleppo chili flakes to control the heat level, making it as mild or spicy as you like.
This robust and flavorful chicken tagine is perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner or for entertaining guests. Serve it alongside fluffy couscous to soak up all the delicious sauce, or with a side of crusty bread for a truly authentic experience.