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Making Moroccan chicken tagine is simpler than it seems, and it brings the flavors of Morocco to your table. Don’t fret if you lack a tagine—just use a large pot with a lid. Give it a try and let us know how it turns out!
Type of Cuisine:
Mediterranean
Prep Time: 30 minutes ( 2 hours for marinade).
Cook Time: 1 hour
How Many Servings?
8 servings
Ingredients:
1X
2X
3X
Adjust Servings
| 1 teaspoon crushed saffron (soaked in 2 oz of crushed iced and melted) | |
| 1 chicken (cut up into eight pieces, cleaned, and pat dry) | |
| 3 cloves minced garlic | |
| ½ teaspoon ground Ginger powder | |
| ½ teaspoon cumin | |
| ½ teaspoon white pepper | |
| 1 teaspoon turmeric | |
| 1 preserved lemon pulp is separated and chopped. Skin saved on the side | |
| ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley | |
| 2 tablespoons cilantro (chopped) | |
| 2 medium size onions (sliced thin) | |
| 1 large tomato (diced) | |
| 1 potato (cut lengthwise into eight pieces total) | |
| 2 carrots (peeled and cut lengthwise to a total of eight pieces) | |
| 1 green zucchini (cut in lengthwise and then cut again into eight pieces) | |
| ½ cup water or broth |
Preparation
1
Start by making saffron water. Place a few saffron threads into five large ice cubes and let them melt naturally—this process takes about 15 minutes and yields approximately 2 oz of saffron-infused water.
2
In a small bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, ground ginger, cumin, turmeric, white pepper, chopped preserved lemon pulp, Italian parsley, and cilantro. Add the saffron water along with any remaining saffron threads, and whisk well to combine.
3
Place the cleaned chicken pieces in a medium-sized bowl and pour the marinade over them, ensuring they are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 12 hours. When ready to cook, take the chicken out of the fridge an hour beforehand to reach room temperature.
4
Heat a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add a few chicken pieces and sear on one side until browned. Flip and sear the other side, then transfer to a platter. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
5
In the same pan, heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until caramelized, about 8 minutes. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes. Transfer the onions to the bottom of the tagine, then arrange the chicken pieces around the inside rim, leaving space to close the lid.
6
Arrange the vegetables in a dome shape, rotating each one around. Pour ½ cup of water into the bottom of the tagine and close the lid. Cook on the stovetop with a heat diffuser on high for the first 10 minutes to release the juices. Then, reduce to medium-low and cook for another 50 minutes or until the chicken and vegetables are tender. Enjoy!
7
In the last 15 minutes, open the lid and spoon some of the juices over the vegetables. Your delicious Moroccan Chicken Tagine will be ready to enjoy immediately!
Recipe Tips & Suggestions
How to prepare you tagine pot for the first time.
If you haven't used your Tagine before, prepare it for cooking by soaking it for 24 hours and then drying it in an oven preheated to 275 F for 30 minutes. Be sure to follow this step to prevent the clay pot from cracking. Additionally, if you cook on the stovetop, use a heat diffuser to avoid damage.
Rana’s Notes!
Storing: Once you have finished serving your chicken tagine, allow it to cool down to room temperature before storing it in an airtight container. Place the container in the refrigerator and store it for up to 3-4 days
Reheating: To reheat the chicken tagine, gently warm it on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally until it is heated through. You can also reheat it in the microwave, but be sure to cover the container with a lid or plastic wrap and stir the tagine every minute to ensure even heating
Adding moisture: If you find that your chicken tagine has become dry after reheating, you can add a little bit of water or chicken broth to the pot and stir it in. This will help to restore some of the moisture and flavor to the dish.
Avoid overcooking: Be careful not to overcook the tagine when reheating it, as this can cause the chicken to become tough and dry. It's better to reheat it slowly and gently until it's just heated through.