Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Olives
مراکشی چکن طاجن، نمکین لیموں اور زیتون کے ساتھ
A *tagine* is both a dish and the cone-lidded clay pot it's cooked in, and this chicken tagine with and olives is Morocco's best-loved version. The chicken cooks slowly in a golden sauce of onions, ginger, saffron and turmeric until it's meltingly tender; the preserved lemon gives a fragrant, salty sourness and the olives a briny bite. There's no chilli heat, just deep, aromatic flavour. You don't need a clay tagine: a heavy pot with a lid works perfectly.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 30 min
- Prep: 20 min
- Cook: 1 hr 10 min
- Medium
- Serves 4
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Mix the chicken with the garlic, ginger, turmeric, pepper, half the coriander, the saffron water and 1 tbsp olive oil. Leave for 30 minutes (or overnight in the fridge).
Heat the remaining oil in a heavy pot on medium heat. Add the onions and cinnamon and cook for 5 minutes until soft.
Add the chicken and its marinade and turn it in the onions for 5 minutes. Add the salt and water, cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes, turning once, until the chicken is very tender.
Rinse the preserved lemon, scoop out and discard the pulp, and cut the peel into strips. Add it with the olives and simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the chicken.
Scatter with the remaining herbs and serve with crusty bread or couscous.
Kitchen notes
No preserved lemon? Quarter a lemon, simmer it in salted water for 15 minutes, then use the peel. Or add the grated zest and juice of 1 lemon at the end.
Grating the onions makes them melt into a smooth, thick sauce, the Moroccan way.
If the olives are very salty, soak them in water for 15 minutes first.
Morocco’s signature dish
Tagines are cooked across Morocco, from Marrakech to Fez, in homes, roadside cafés and over charcoal in the markets. The chicken, preserved lemon and olive version (djaj mqualli) is a classic of Fez cooking and the tagine most visitors remember. It shows what Moroccan food is famous for: slow cooking, saffron, and the balance of savoury, sour and fragrant.
Preserved lemon
is the secret ingredient. Lemons are packed in salt for weeks until the peel turns soft and silky, with a flavour that’s lemony but rounder and more aromatic than fresh lemon. Only the peel is used. Jars are sold in Middle Eastern shops and large supermarkets, and they’re easy to make at home (see the FAQ).
The slow braise
The chicken cooks gently in very little liquid, so the onions, saffron and chicken juices reduce into a thick, glossy sauce. Grating the onion helps it melt into the sauce. Bone-in thighs and drumsticks stay juicy through the long cook.
Serving
Moroccans eat tagine from the pot with bread (khobz) used as a scoop, rather than with rice. It’s also wonderful with couscous or khubz, and a salad of zaalouk. Finish with mint tea or a glass of lemonade.
Questions people ask
Do I need a clay tagine?
No. A heavy pot or Dutch oven with a tight lid gives the same result. A tagine's cone-shaped lid returns steam to the food, which a good lid also does.
How do I make preserved lemons?
Cut lemons into quarters without cutting through the base, pack each with a tablespoon of salt, press them into a jar, cover with lemon juice and leave for 3–4 weeks, shaking now and then.
Is tagine spicy?
No. It's fragrant and mild. Serve harissa on the side for anyone who wants heat.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 460
- Protein
- 40 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 10 g
