The tagine, both the vessel and the dish cooked in it, is the heart of Moroccan domestic cooking and the most widely made expression of a culinary tradition that stretches back through the Marinid and Almohad dynasties to the Moorish kitchens of Al-Andalus. The conical clay lid of the tagine creates a convection cycle as it cooks over low heat: steam rises, condenses on the cool clay cone, and drips back down onto the braising meat: a self-basting technique that keeps the meat moist even in the dry heat of the Moroccan interior. The saffron-preserved lemon-olive trilogy is the most elemental flavour combination in Moroccan chicken cooking. Saffron provides warm sweetness and golden colour; preserved lemon (slowly fermented lemons in brine) provides an acidic saltiness entirely different from fresh lemon; more complex, more umami, less sharp; and the olives, green, briny, slightly bitter, complete the Moroccan triangle. The combination of saffron, ginger, and turmeric as the tri-spice base of the Moroccan tagine kitchen is one of the most recognisable flavour signatures in world cooking, and the one that most directly links Moroccan cuisine to its Arab and Persian culinary heritage.
Ingredients
Chicken
8 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
Saffron
1 generous pinch saffron threads, soaked in 3 tbsp warm water for 15 minutes
Spices
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ras el hanout
0.5 tsp sweet paprika
Aromatics
2 medium onions, finely sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 preserved lemon, pulp removed, skin rinsed and cut into strips
150 g cracked green olives or violet olives
Fat
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Liquid
200 ml chicken stock or water
Herbs
1 small bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped
1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
Seasoning
Salt and black pepper
Serving
Warm flatbread or couscous, to serve
Method
In a large bowl, combine the saffron water, ground ginger, turmeric, ras el hanout, and paprika. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat thoroughly. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the refrigerator for the best result.
Heat the olive oil in a tagine or wide, heavy casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken thighs skin-side down for 5–6 minutes until the skin is golden and crisp. Turn and brown the other side for 3 minutes. Remove and set aside.
In the same pot, add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to colour. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes.
Return the chicken to the pot on top of the onions. Add the stock, preserved lemon strips, and half the coriander and parsley. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over low heat for 35–40 minutes until the chicken is completely tender and falling from the bone.
Add the olives to the tagine for the final 10 minutes of cooking. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning. The sauce should be concentrated, golden, and fragrant. Scatter the remaining fresh coriander and parsley over the top. Serve directly from the tagine or casserole with warm flatbread or fluffy couscous.
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