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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives

Chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives is a Moroccan dish for 4 people, ready in 75 minutes, rated easy, for about €3.10 per person. The key to getting it right is rinsing the preserved lemon and olives well to avoid an overly salty sauce, and letting the chicken simmer gently until it's tender.

Tonight I'm making the great Moroccan classic, a chicken tagine browned with saffron, preserved lemon, and green olives, with bread to scoop up the sauce.

Chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives
Total time
1 h 15
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.10
Calories per person
610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Spring

The chicken simmers low and slow in a broth scented with saffron, ginger, and turmeric, until it turns tender and nearly falls off the bone. Preserved lemon adds a distinctive salty tang, while green olives give each bite a little bite of their own. It's a generous dish that fills the whole kitchen with its aroma while it cooks.

This is the kind of recipe to save for a Sunday or an evening when you have a bit of time, since it calls for patience more than skill. It wins over anyone who loves bold flavors, and it makes a great choice for guests looking for something different from the usual weeknight dinner. Served with bread for scooping up the sauce, it turns into a relaxed meal to share.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 8

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onion 3
  • Garlic 3 cloves
  • Fresh cilantro 1 sprigs

Pantry

  • Preserved lemon 1
  • Pitted green olives 150 g
  • Ground gingeroften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Saffronoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Round bread 1

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Mix the ginger, saffron, turmeric, salt, pepper, and oil, then rub this marinade all over the chicken thighs. 10 min

    Let it marinate a bit longer if you have time, the meat soaks up more flavor.

  2. Soften the sliced onions in the pot with the garlic, then place the chicken thighs on top. 10 min

    The onions form the base of the tagine, don't let them burn.

  3. Add 20 cl of water, cover, and let it simmer gently. 40 min

    Flip the thighs halfway through cooking so they stay moist on both sides.

  4. Add the preserved lemon in strips and the rinsed olives, and keep cooking. 10 min

    Rinse the olives too, they're often very salty.

  5. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro and serve with the bread.

    Dip the bread straight into the sauce, it's the best utensil.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick chicken thighs with the skin on, they hold up better during the long simmer and stay moist.
  • Go easy on salt in the marinade, since the preserved lemon and olives already bring plenty of their own.
  • If the sauce looks too thin at the end, uncover the pot for the last ten minutes so it reduces slightly.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken thighs for boneless thighs to cut the cooking time down a bit.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken with large chunks of potato and carrot, simmered for the same amount of time.
  • To save time, use chicken breast cut into pieces and shorten the simmering step to 20 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • Round bread for scooping up sauce
  • Plain couscous on the side
  • Mint tea to go with the meal

Storage

This tagine keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, as long as you let it cool completely first. Reheat it gently in a pot, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can I use fresh lemon instead of preserved lemon?

You can use the zest of an unwaxed lemon with a splash of juice, but the flavor will be less deep. Preserved lemon is really what gives this dish its signature taste.

Do I need an actual tagine dish to make this?

No, a regular Dutch oven with a lid works just fine. What matters is that the lid seals well to trap moisture during the simmer.

Can this tagine be made ahead of time?

Yes, it actually tastes even better reheated the next day. Make it the day before and warm it gently before serving.

Why do you need to rinse the olives and preserved lemon?

Both are stored in a lot of salt, and adding them straight from the jar would make the dish too salty. A quick rinse under water softens their flavor without losing their character.

How long does it take to make a chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives, served with bread?

Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives, served with bread?

About 610 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives, served with bread cost?

About €3.10 per serving, or €12.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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