Traditional Moroccan Dishes
Moroccan Chicken Tajine with Lemon and Olives
Prepare an authentic Moroccan chicken tajine with pickled lemon and olives: a flavorful slow-cooked stew with tender chicken, spiced onions, and a rich sauce perfect for serving with couscous, white rice, or bread.
This chicken tajine brings together some of the most characteristic flavors of Moroccan cuisine: warm spices, pickled lemon, green olives, and a concentrated sauce. It can be cooked in a traditional tajine or a heavy pot with a lid.
01
Ingredients
Have everything ready before you begin.
- ✓1 kg bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- ✓2 large onions, finely chopped
- ✓3 cloves of garlic, minced
- ✓1 Moroccan pickled lemon
- ✓150 g green olives
- ✓3 tablespoons olive oil
- ✓150 ml water or chicken broth
- ✓1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- ✓1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ✓1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ✓1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- ✓1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- ✓1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ✓A small handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
- ✓A small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
02
Step-by-step method
- 01
Dry the chicken thighs with paper towels
Dry the chicken thighs with paper towels. Remove the seeds from the pickled lemon and, if it's too salty, rinse the pulp lightly. Reserve the peel, which is the most aromatic part. If the olives are too salty, rinse and drain them.
- 02
Heat a large, heavy pot over medium heat
Heat a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and place the chicken thighs skin-side down. Brown them for 5 or 6 minutes without moving them too much. Flip them over and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove the chicken and set it aside.
- 03
Add the remaining oil and onions to the pot
Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and the chopped onions to the pot. Cook over medium-low heat for 8 minutes, stirring to utilize the juices from the bottom, until they soften and start to brown. If they stick too much, add a tablespoon of the reserved water or broth.
- 04
Add the garlic, turmeric, ginger, cumin, black pepper, and cinnamon
Add the garlic, turmeric, ginger, cumin, black pepper, and cinnamon. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to perfume the oil and onions without burning the spices.
- 05
Return the chicken to the pot skin-side up
Return the chicken to the pot skin-side up. Add the water or broth and half of the chopped cilantro and parsley. The liquid should not completely cover the chicken.
- 06
Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 35-40 minutes
Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 35-40 minutes. Carefully turn the chicken thighs once during cooking to coat them with the sauce. The chicken will be done when it's tender and easily shreds with a fork.
- 07
Add the pickled lemon and olives 10 minutes before finishing
Add the pickled lemon pulp and peel, cut into thin strips, along with the green olives, 10 minutes before finishing the cooking time.
- 08
Uncover the pot for the last 5 minutes to reduce the sauce
Uncover the pot for the last 5 minutes to reduce the sauce. Taste and adjust the salt only at the end. The sauce should be thick, shiny, and able to lightly coat a spoon.
- 09
Turn off the heat and let the tajine rest for 5 minutes
Turn off the heat and let the tajine rest for 5 minutes with the pot covered. Before serving, sprinkle the remaining cilantro and parsley.
- 10
Serve the tajine in the same pot, if possible
Serve the tajine in the same pot, if possible, accompanied by plain couscous, Moroccan bread, or white rice.
- If you can't find pickled lemon, use the fine zest and juice of half a fresh lemon. The result will be less deep and less salty; add the juice only at the end.
- Adjust the salt only after adding the olives and pickled lemon, as both can add a lot of salt.
- Always cook over low heat to achieve tender meat and a concentrated sauce.
- If using a clay pot, heat it gradually and avoid placing it over high flames.
- If the sauce is too liquid, reduce it for a few more minutes. If it's too concentrated, add a small stream of hot water.
- You can remove the chicken skin after browning if you prefer a lighter version, although keeping it during cooking helps keep the meat juicy.