Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Moroccan chicken tagine is a classic North African dish that is typically made in a traditional clay or ceramic tagine pot. The recipe consists of chicken pieces that are slow-cooked with a blend of aromatic spices like cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, coriander, and turmeric, along with onions, olives, and preserved lemons. The resulting dish is tender, flavorful, and effortless to assemble, yet sophisticated enough to serve on special occasions. 

Ingredients

• chicken thighs
• olive oil
• garlic
• onions
• fresh cilantro
• fresh parsley
• green olives
• preserved lemons cut into 1/4 slices
• ginger
• turmeric
• ras el hanout
• saffron (optional)
• salt and pepper

Flavorful, Tender Moroccan Chicken Tagine

With its rich and aromatic spices, this chicken tagine is reminiscent of the kind you would find in the streets of Marrakech. The flavors of preserved lemons, ras el hanout, and saffron meld together to create succulent and tender pieces of chicken.

This recipe is high in protein and low in carbohydrates making it a great dish to add to your weekly meal prep. If you don’t own a tagine, don’t worry, you can simply use a Dutch oven or wide-lidded pot!

What is a Tagine?

A tagine is a traditional North African cooking vessel made of clay or ceramic that is typically used to make stews and slow-cooked dishes. The dish gets its name from the pot itself, which has a distinctive cone-shaped lid that helps to circulate steam and trap moisture, resulting in tender, flavorful dishes.

To use a tagine, ingredients are added to the pot and then cooked slowly over low heat, allowing the flavors to meld and intensify over time. The lid of the tagine helps to create a moist cooking environment, and the cone shape helps to evenly distribute heat and ensure that the food cooks evenly.

How to make Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375F.

Step 2:  In a bowl, add the lemon flesh, medium onions, cloves of garlic, parsley, cilantro, parsley, ginger, pepper, turmeric, ras el hanout, salt, and if using, saffron. Mix well.

Step 3: Add 1/4 cup of olive oil to an oven-safe tagine or Dutch oven (enough to coat the bottom). Place the chicken thighs skin side up in the tagine and distribute the onions all around the chicken. Distribute the olives and lemon peels on top of the chicken and onion mixture. Add 1/4 cup of water or chicken broth, cover, and cook in the oven for 1 hour. Chicken is cooked through once it’s reached an internal temperature of 165 ºF.

Step 4: Serve with fresh lemon juice and cilantro.

What to serve with Chicken Tagine

Serve up this chicken tagine with low-carb rice like this Mediterranean Cauliflower Rice.

It’s also delicious served with couscous or bread for soaking up the mouth-watering sauce.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Store Moroccan chicken tagine in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

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