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Traditional Moroccan chicken tagine close-up

Traditional Moroccan Chicken Tagine Recipe

  • Total Time: 2h20min

Ingredients

Scale

For the Tagine:

  • 1 whole chicken (cut into pieces) or 4 large chicken thighs

  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped

  • 2 preserved lemons, quartered

  • 1 cup green olives

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1/2 cup chicken broth or water

  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

  • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

Spices:

  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

  • Salt and pepper to taste

  • A pinch of saffron threads (optional, but traditional)

Instructions

  1. Marinate the Chicken
    In a bowl, mix the chicken pieces with ginger, turmeric, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Rub the spices well into the meat. Let it sit for at least 1 hour or overnight for deeper flavor.

  2. Prepare the Tagine Base
    Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil into the base of your tagine pot. Spread the chopped onions evenly to create a base layer.

  3. Layer the Ingredients
    Place the marinated chicken pieces over the onions. Arrange preserved lemon wedges around the chicken and scatter the olives on top. Sprinkle chopped parsley and cilantro over everything.

  4. Add Liquid
    Pour the broth or water gently around the chicken without washing off the marinade.

  5. Cook the Tagine
    Cover the tagine with its lid. If using a traditional clay tagine, cook it slowly over low heat using a heat diffuser. Otherwise, you can cook it in the oven at 325°F (165°C) for about 2 hours.

    • Let it simmer gently without stirring.

    • Occasionally, rotate the base of the tagine if cooking over a stovetop to prevent sticking.

  6. Check and Serve
    Once the chicken is tender and the sauce has reduced to a rich consistency, it’s ready!
    Serve the tagine hot, straight from the pot, with warm Moroccan bread to scoop up the savory sauce.

Notes

  • No tagine pot? You can use a Dutch oven instead.

  • Preserved lemons are key! If you can’t find them, quickly marinate regular lemons in salt and lemon juice for a few hours.

  • Balance your flavors: If the sauce gets too salty (because of the preserved lemons and olives), add a teaspoon of honey toward the end to balance it.

  • Prep Time: 20min
  • Cook Time: 2h

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Find it online: https://latenightrecipes.com/moroccan-tagine/