Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Olives

Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Olives

My partner’s mother is Algerian and used to prepare many Algerian dishes for him as a child. He often asks me for tagine recipes, and he even gifted me a beautiful tagine dish (I suppose it wasn’t a completely selfless gift, haha). I’m leaving you a link where you can get the same one I use.

So I learned to make chicken tagine with preserved lemon and olives (I’m a huge fan of olives, so I love this dish just as much as he does!). This tagine can be served with couscous or homemade fries!

One particular aspect of this recipe is that you’ll need a spice blend that is widely used in North African cuisine called ras el hanout. This spice is not always easy to find in regular grocery stores. You can buy it online on Amazon (that’s where I got mine). You can also make your own homemade ras el hanout blend using spices you likely have at home. If you don’t have all the spices listed, that’s fine—just skip them, as this spice mix is made differently from store to store across North African countries.

Here’s a homemade ras el hanout recipe:

· 1 teaspoon salt

· 1 teaspoon ground cumin

· 1 teaspoon ground ginger

· 1 teaspoon turmeric

· ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

· ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper

· ½ teaspoon ground coriander

· ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

· ½ teaspoon allspice

· ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

· ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

Another important ingredient in this recipe is preserved lemon. You might have trouble finding it in your local store. I bought mine online, on Amazon. It is possible to make your own preserved lemon, but it requires home canning and at least four weeks of wait time. It’s not difficult to make, though! Here’s how:

1. Place 6 lemons in a container and cover with water.

2. Let soak for 24 hours.

3. Cut the lemons into quarters, leaving the base of the fruit intact.

4. Pack the lemons tightly in a canning jar.

5. Add ¼ cup of coarse salt.

6. Seal the jar and store it in a dark place for at least four weeks before using."

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Servings 6

Ingredients

6 pieces chicken (thighs or drumsticks)
1 finely chopped onion
2 finely chopped garlic cloves
1 cup olives (pitted)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ras el hanout
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 pinch saffron
1 preserved lemon, cut lengthwise into 6 wedges remove seeds
1 tsp fresh coriander
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp olive oil
½ cup water

Instructions

Place 6 lemons in a container and cover with water.
Let soak for 24 hours.
Cut the lemons into quarters, leaving the base of the fruit intact.
Pack the lemons tightly in a canning jar.
Add ¼ cup of coarse salt.
Seal the jar and store it in a dark place for at least four weeks before using.
Using a knife, make 2–3 cuts in the skin of each chicken piece to help the marinade penetrate.
Marinate the chicken (at least 30 minutes) with the spices (cumin, ras el hanout, ginger, turmeric, saffron, coriander, salt and pepper) and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Tip: You can marinate the chicken for up to 12 hours in the refrigerator.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the tagine. Over medium heat, sauté the onion and garlic.
Add the marinated chicken and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After 15 minutes, add the olives, preserved lemon, and water. Cover with the lid and cook on low heat for 45 minutes
Adjust salt and pepper to taste
Serve with homemade fries or couscous

Video

Notes

If you want to try another North African dish, you can check out my Lamb Tagine or Royal Couscous !

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