Chicken Tagine

Name: Chicken Tagine
Prep time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1.2 kg bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 pieces), trimmed of excess skin; 2 large yellow onions (~400 g), one finely grated for the marinade, one thinly sliced for the stew base; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 4 cm fresh ginger, finely grated; 1 tsp ground cumin + 1 tsp ground ginger + 1 tsp ground coriander + 0.5 tsp ground turmeric + 0.5 tsp sweet paprika + 0.5 tsp ground white pepper + a generous pinch of saffron threads (8-10 strands, bloomed in 2 tbsp hot water); 1 small bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), about 25 g, finely chopped (half for the marinade, half for garnish); 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, about 25 g, finely chopped (half for the marinade, half for garnish); 1.5 tsp salt + 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 3 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp unsalted butter (or smen for the most traditional flavour); 2 preserved lemons, rinsed, flesh discarded, peel cut into thin strips (about 80 g of peel total); 150 g green Moroccan olives (or Castelvetrano), rinsed, pitted if large; 400 ml hot water or low-salt chicken stock; Juice of half a fresh lemon (added at the end, to brighten); To serve: warm khobz flatbread to mop up the sauce, or steamed couscous

Tagine takes its name from the conical earthenware vessel in which it is cooked — a design that has remained essentially unchanged across centuries of Moroccan and North African cooking. The cone traps rising steam and returns moisture to the ingredients, producing meat that falls apart without drying out and a concentrated sauce that needs no thickening. This particular tagine is the classic 'Djaj M'qalli' style — chicken thighs simmered slowly with preserved lemons, green olives and saffron — a markedly different preparation from the dried-fruit-and-ras-el-hanout lamb tagines (mrouzia / tfaya). The brininess of the preserved lemon plays against the warm spice; the chicken cooks in about 40-45 minutes rather than the lamb's 90-120, and no honey or dried fruit is used. It's the most recognisable chicken tagine in Moroccan home cooking.

Total time1h 20m

Active time50m

Servings4

DifficultyMedium

Cost$$

Add to my meal plan

❤️

Rich in protein

Filling and nutritious

❄️

Can be frozen

Great for meal prep

🍲

One-pot

Minimal washing up

⭐

Traditional recipe

Authentic taste

Ingredients 4 servings

1.2 kg bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (about 8 pieces), trimmed of excess skin
2 large yellow onions (~400 g), one finely grated for the marinade, one thinly sliced for the stew base
6 garlic cloves, minced
4 cm fresh ginger, finely grated
1 tsp ground cumin + 1 tsp ground ginger + 1 tsp ground coriander + 0.5 tsp ground turmeric + 0.5 tsp sweet paprika + 0.5 tsp ground white pepper + a generous pinch of saffron threads (8-10 strands, bloomed in 2 tbsp hot water)
1 small bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), about 25 g, finely chopped (half for the marinade, half for garnish)
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, about 25 g, finely chopped (half for the marinade, half for garnish)
1.5 tsp salt + 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp unsalted butter (or smen for the most traditional flavour)
2 preserved lemons, rinsed, flesh discarded, peel cut into thin strips (about 80 g of peel total)
150 g green Moroccan olives (or Castelvetrano), rinsed, pitted if large
400 ml hot water or low-salt chicken stock
Juice of half a fresh lemon (added at the end, to brighten)
To serve: warm khobz flatbread to mop up the sauce, or steamed couscous

How to make it

1MARINATE THE CHICKEN: in a large bowl combine the grated onion, garlic, ginger, all the dry spices, the bloomed saffron with its water, half the chopped coriander, half the parsley, 1.5 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper and 1.5 tbsp olive oil.
2Add the chicken thighs and massage the marinade thoroughly into and under the skin.
3Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour; 4 hours is markedly better, overnight is best.
4SEAR AND BUILD THE BASE: heat the remaining 1.5 tbsp olive oil and the butter in a tagine vessel or wide heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.
5Add the sliced onion and cook 8 minutes, stirring, until soft and lightly golden.
6Push the onions to one side, lay the marinated chicken skin-side down and sear 3-4 minutes until the skin is deep golden, then flip.
7SIMMER: scrape every drop of marinade from the bowl into the pot.
8Pour in the 400 ml hot water or stock.
9Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and reduce the heat to its lowest setting.
10Cook 30 minutes — the conical lid traps the steam that defines a tagine.
11ADD PRESERVED LEMON AND OLIVES: lift the lid, tuck the preserved-lemon strips and green olives around (not on top of) the chicken — both release brine, so resist the urge to stir vigorously.
12Re-cover and cook 10-15 minutes more, until the chicken reads 75 °C / 170 °F at the thickest part and the sauce has reduced to a glossy, brothy consistency that coats the back of a spoon.
13FINISH AND SERVE: uncover, squeeze the half-lemon juice over the dish, and scatter the reserved coriander and parsley on top.
14Taste before salting — preserved lemons and olives both contribute salt, so the dish often needs nothing more.
15Serve straight from the tagine with warm khobz flatbread to mop up the sauce, or alongside steamed couscous.