09/06/2026
Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Olives and Preserved Lemon 🍗🍋
Tender spiced chicken slowly cooked with onions, green olives, and preserved lemon.
Ingredients
Serves 4:
4 large chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 preserved lemon
150 g green olives
250 ml chicken stock
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and black pepper
For the spices:
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of saffron threads, optional
Instructions
Mix the ginger, turmeric, cumin, paprika, coriander, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper.
Rub the chicken thoroughly with half the spice mixture.
Heat the olive oil in a tagine base or heavy pot over medium heat.
Brown the chicken for approximately four minutes per side. Transfer it temporarily to a plate.
Add the sliced onions and cook for 7–8 minutes until softened.
Stir in the garlic, remaining spices, half the parsley, and half the cilantro. Cook for one minute.
Return the chicken to the pot and pour the stock around it.
Cover and cook gently for 35–40 minutes, turning the chicken once.
Rinse the preserved lemon. Remove its pulp and slice the peel into thin strips.
Add the preserved lemon and green olives to the pot.
Cook uncovered for another 10–15 minutes, until the sauce reduces and coats the chicken. Confirm that the chicken reaches 74°C/165°F internally.
Garnish with the remaining parsley and cilantro. Serve hot with Moroccan bread, couscous, or rice.