Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Olives

Name: Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Olives
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 23 min
Total time: 1 h 43 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 3 lb (1360 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 8 thighs, patted dry; ½ tsp (0.3 g) saffron threads, lightly crushed between your fingers; 2 tbsp (30 ml) warm water, for steeping the saffron; 2 tsp (4 g) ground ginger; 1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric; 1 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, plus a pinch for the onions and more to taste at the end; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 large (400 g) large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons; 1 stick (3 g) cinnamon stick, about 3 inches (7.5 cm); 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken stock; ½ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped; ¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped; 2 small (80 g) preserved lemons, rinsed, pulp discarded, rind cut into thin strips; 1 cup (150 g) green olives, such as cracked Moroccan or Picholine, pitted if you like, rinsed if very salty; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, squeezed from about ½ lemon, added to taste (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Bone-in chicken thighs braise gently in a saffron-ginger onion sauce until silky, then finish with briny preserved lemon and green olives for a bright, savory Moroccan classic. No tagine pot needed: a Dutch oven works beautifully.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1 hr 23 min
Wait: 30 min
Total: 2 hr 13 min
Makes: 4 servings (8 chicken thighs with sauce)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the chicken
3 lb (1360 g) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 8 thighs, patted dry
½ tsp (0.3 g) saffron threads, lightly crushed between your fingers
2 tbsp (30 ml) warm water, for steeping the saffron
2 tsp (4 g) ground ginger
1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric
1 tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (5 g) kosher salt, plus a pinch for the onions and more to taste at the end
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
For the braise
3 tbsp (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
2 large (400 g) large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced into half-moons
1 stick (3 g) cinnamon stick, about 3 inches (7.5 cm)
1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium chicken stock
For the finish
½ cup (10 g) fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped
¼ cup (10 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 small (80 g) preserved lemons, rinsed, pulp discarded, rind cut into thin strips
1 cup (150 g) green olives, such as cracked Moroccan or Picholine, pitted if you like, rinsed if very salty
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, squeezed from about ½ lemon, added to taste (optional)

Equipment (6)

5- to 6-quart (4.7–5.7 L) oven-safe Dutch oven or traditional tagine with a tight-fitting lid
Large mixing bowl
Chef's knife and cutting board
Small bowl for steeping saffron
Instant-read thermometer
Tongs

Steps

Before you start

Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes (up to overnight in the fridge) for deeper flavor.
Rinse the preserved lemon under cool water and discard the pulp; only the rind is used. Rinsing controls saltiness.
Start the saffron steeping about 10 minutes before you mix the marinade so it releases full color and aroma.
Taste the olives first: if very salty, rinse them. Add salt to the dish only at the end.
Make sure your Dutch oven and lid are oven-safe to 500°F (260°C) if you want to do the optional broiler finish.

1
Steep the saffron
- Place the crushed saffron in a small bowl with the 2 tablespoons warm water.
- Let it steep while you gather and measure the spices for the marinade.
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Ready when: Water turns deep orange-gold
Tip: Warm, not boiling, water protects saffron's delicate flavor.
2
Marinate the chicken
- Pat the thighs very dry.
- In a large bowl, combine the ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cumin, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, grated garlic, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and the saffron with its water.
- Add the chicken and rub the paste over and under the skin.
- Cover and rest at room temperature 30 minutes, or refrigerate up to overnight.
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Ready when: Chicken is evenly coated in a golden-yellow paste
Tip: If marinating overnight, let the chicken sit out 20 minutes before cooking.
3
Brown the chicken
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Lift the thighs from the marinade, letting excess drip back into the bowl (save it).
- Brown skin-side down in two batches, about 5 minutes per batch, then flip and brown 2 minutes more.
- Move to a plate.
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Ready when: Skin is deep golden and releases easily from the pot
Tip: Don't crowd the pot or the chicken will steam instead of browning.
4
Soften the onions
- Reduce heat to medium.
- Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons fat if there is more.
- Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt.
- Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits, 8 to 10 minutes until soft, translucent, and lightly golden at the edges.
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Ready when: Onions are soft, translucent, and lightly golden
Tip: If the bottom starts to scorch, splash in 2 tablespoons water.
5
Build the sauce
- Stir the reserved marinade, cinnamon stick, and half of the cilantro and parsley into the onions.
- Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.
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Ready when: Sauce is steaming and smells warmly spiced
Tip: The reserved marinade touched raw chicken; it's safe because it simmers for a long time.
6
Braise the chicken
- Nestle the thighs skin-side up into the onions, so the skin stays above the liquid.
- Cover tightly, reduce heat to low, and simmer gently 35 minutes.
- Check once midway that the simmer is gentle, not boiling.
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Ready when: Chicken reaches at least 175°F (80°C) at the thickest part away from the bone, and the meat is tender near the bone
Tip: Keep to a bare simmer; a hard boil toughens the meat and dries the sauce.
7
Add lemon and olives
- Stir the preserved lemon strips and olives into the sauce around the chicken.
- Re-cover and simmer 10 minutes so the flavors meld.
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Ready when: Sauce smells citrusy and briny
Tip: Added earlier, preserved lemon turns bitter and mushy.
8
Reduce the sauce
- Remove the lid, raise heat to medium, and simmer 8 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon.
- Discard the cinnamon stick.
- Taste and add salt or the lemon juice if needed.
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Ready when: Sauce is glossy and coats the back of a spoon
Tip: Taste before salting; the olives and preserved lemon add plenty.
9
Broil the skin (optional)Oven 500°F / 260°C
- For crisp skin, set an oven rack about 6 inches (15 cm) below the broiler and heat the broiler to high (about 500°F/260°C).
- Make sure the chicken skin sits above the sauce, then slide the uncovered oven-safe Dutch oven under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Skip this step if your pot is not oven-safe.
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Ready when: Skin is crisp and deep golden in spots
Tip: Watch closely; skin can burn within seconds. Use thick oven mitts on the hot handles.
10
Garnish and serve
- Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and parsley and serve straight from the pot with couscous, rice, or bread.
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Ready when: Herbs are bright green on top of the glossy sauce

Good to know

Tips

Serve with couscous, crusty bread, or rice to soak up the sauce.
Use bone-in, skin-on thighs; they stay juicy during long braising, unlike breasts.
Rinse preserved lemon well and taste a piece of the rind; adjust the added salt accordingly.
The broiler finish is optional but gives the skin a crisp contrast to the silky sauce.

Make ahead

Tastes even better the next day. Cook through the olives and preserved lemon step, cool, and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat gently, then reduce the sauce, broil if you like, and add fresh herbs.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: up to 2 hours. Refrigerator: airtight up to 4 days. Freezer: up to 3 months (thaw overnight in the fridge). Reheat covered over low heat with a splash of stock or water until steaming hot (165°F/74°C).

Substitutions

preserved lemons → Zest of 1 lemon plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice and an extra ½ teaspoon salt. Brighter and less funky; add zest and juice with the olives.
saffron threads → Extra ½ teaspoon turmeric. Provides color but not saffron's floral flavor.
bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs → Bone-in chicken drumsticks or a cut-up whole chicken. Breast pieces need less braising time, about 20 to 25 minutes.
green olives, such as cracked Moroccan or Picholine → Pitted Castelvetrano olives. Milder and buttery; rinse less.