Around the World · Morocco

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

By The Savorient Team

A home-style version of the North African classic — warm spices, salty-bright preserved lemon, and chicken that falls apart with a fork. No special tagine pot needed.

Moroccan Chicken Tagine served over spiced rice with pine nuts and herbs
Where this comes from: the tagine takes its name from the cone-lidded clay pot it's traditionally cooked in, designed so condensation drips back down into the dish during long, slow simmering. In Morocco it's less a single recipe than a whole category of stews, often built around a base of onion, garlic, and a specific blend of warm spices, then finished with olives, preserved lemon, or dried fruit depending on the region and the cook. It's typically served family-style, with everyone eating from the same dish with bread instead of utensils — a meal built around sharing, not portions.
15 minPrep time
55 minCook time
1 hr 10 minTotal time
4Servings
MediumDifficulty

Ingredients

  • 8 bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp saffron threads (optional)
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 preserved lemon, rinsed, pulp discarded, rind thinly sliced (or zest of 1 lemon)
  • 1/2 cup green olives
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, for serving
  • Crusty bread or couscous, for serving

Instructions

  1. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the chicken on both sides, about 6 minutes total. Remove to a plate.
  2. Add the onion to the pot and cook 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, and saffron. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
  4. Return the chicken to the pot along with the preserved lemon. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 35-40 minutes, until the chicken is tender enough to pull from the bone with a fork.
  5. Stir in the olives and simmer uncovered for 5 more minutes to thicken the sauce slightly. Taste before adding any salt — the preserved lemon and olives are both salty.
  6. Scatter with cilantro and serve with warm bread or couscous.

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