Memorable Quotes:

“A Bearnaise sauce is simply an egg yolk, a shallot, a little tarragon vinegar and butter, but it takes years of practice for the result to be perfect.” — Fernand Point

Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon, Green Olives, and Thyme

A fragrant Moroccan-inspired chicken dish slowly simmered with ginger, garlic, saffron and fresh cilantro. Preserved lemons and cracked green olives add their distinctive salty, citrusy flavor, while thyme provides an aromatic finish. Serve directly from the tagine for a wonderfully flavorful and comforting meal.

Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon

Servings: 4–6
Prep Time: 20 minutes, plus 1–2 hours marinating
Cook Time: About 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 8–10 chicken thighs or 4 whole chicken legs
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pat butter
  • 2 preserved lemons, cut into strips
  • 6 ounces cracked green olives
  • 1–2 teaspoons dried thyme or oregano

For the Marinade:

  • 1 onion, grated
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 1 small bunch cilantro, finely chopped
  • Pinch of saffron threads
  • Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
  • 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
  • 3–4 tablespoons olive oil
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:

  1. In a bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients.
  2. Place the chicken thighs or legs in a shallow dish. Pour the marinade over the chicken and rub it thoroughly into the pieces and skin. Cover and refrigerate for 1–2 hours.
  3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil with the butter in a tagine or heavy-bottomed casserole over medium heat.
  4. Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Add the chicken to the tagine and brown on all sides.
  5. Pour the reserved marinade over the chicken and add enough water to come halfway up the sides of the chicken pieces.
  6. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes, turning the chicken occasionally.
  7. Add the preserved lemon strips, green olives and half of the thyme or oregano. Cover and simmer for another 15–20 minutes.
  8. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Sprinkle the remaining thyme or oregano over the chicken.
  9. Serve immediately, directly from the tagine.

Tip: Preserved lemons and olives are naturally quite salty, so taste the finished sauce before adding additional salt.

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