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Chicken tajine with preserved lemon and olives recipe
Created by Hassan M'Souli
- Cuisine: Moroccan
- Prep Time: 3 hr(s)
- Cook Time: 45 min(s)
- Serves 6
This dish is wonderful. Although it takes a little while to prepare, all that fades when you bring the tajine to the table, lift off the conical lid and watch as your family and friends take a deep, satisfied breath. Serve with couscous and harissa. Like curries, it is even better on the second day.
Ingredients
Chermoula marinade2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ preserved lemon, rind only, rinsed and finely sliced
2 onions, chopped
½ small red chilli
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp ground cumin
2 tbsp chopped coriander
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 bay leaves, torn in half
½ tsp saffron threads, soaked in a little water
125 ml olive oil
salt
1 small chicken (1–1.2 kg)
2 tomatoes, 1 chopped, 1 sliced
2 onions, 1 chopped, 1 sliced
2 large potatoes, cut into wedges
150 g pitted green olives
1 bunch coriander, chopped
250 ml water
1 preserved lemon, rind only, rinsed and cut into 6 or 8 wedges
Preparation
Combine the marinade ingredients in a food processor and blend until finely chopped and thoroughly combined. Leave for 30 minutes before using (or you can make this up to 7 days in advance and store it in the refrigerator).Wash and dry the chicken. Cut out the backbone and trim off the wing tips and any excess fat. Chop into pieces. Place in a bowl and rub with half of the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or ideally overnight.
Combine the chopped tomato and onion with a little more marinade and spread over the base of a tajine (this will prevent the chicken from burning on the bottom). Arrange the chicken pieces in the centre of the tajine. Coat the potato wedges in a little more marinade and arrange around the chicken. Top with the sliced onion, then the sliced tomato, and push the olives into the gaps. Combine the remaining marinade with the coriander and water and pour over the top. Decorate with preserved lemon wedges.
Cover the tajine with the lid and cook over a very low heat on the stove for 45 minutes. Don’t stir or lift the lid during cooking.
Take the tajine to the table and serve with couscous and harissa.
SBS cook’s notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55–60 g, unless specified.
If you enjoyed this Chicken tajine with preserved lemon and olives recipe then browse more Moroccan recipes, meat recipes and our most popular hainanese chicken rice recipe.
Moroccan Restaurants
Displaying 10 of 56 Moroccan Restaurants.
| Restaurant | Book Online | Suburb | |
| 1. | Builders Arms Hotel, bandroom | Fitzroy | |
| 2. | Moroccan Soup Bar | Fitzroy North | |
| 3. | African Feeling | Newtown | |
| 4. | Alhambra | Manly | |
| 5. | Out of Africa | Manly | |
| 6. | Kazbah On Darling | Balmain | |
| 7. | Cafe Mint | Surry Hills | |
| 8. | Sumac | Sydney | |
| 9. | Little Moorish Restaurant | East Perth | |
| 10. | Veritas Restaurant | Highgate |
Comments (24)
Previous
06 Aug 2012 09:22 AEST
liz
3165
waaay too bitter
Followed the recipes exactly and rinsed the preserved lemon really well but this turned out way too bitter. I tried to fix it with some honey but couldn't salvage so we had to throw it out. Really disappointing after marinating overnight...
Agree(0 people agree)
Disagree(3 people disagree)
21 Jul 2012 06:32 AEST
Sue
Bendigo
Terrific tagine
I have made this dish about 5 times now and it has been a huge hit with my husband (now takes first prize for his favourite dish!) it is also great for dinner with friends as you can make it ahead of time and it takes care of itself whilst you are entertaining. I have an electric (ceramic top) Bosch stove and I have had no problems at all. I start it off on a medium heat until I can hear it simmering then turn down to low for about 1 hr 45 mins. I also use chicken thighs which work well.
02 Jul 2011 08:49 AEST
JAM
Weston
13 Jun 2011 06:13 AEST
Ian
Abbotsford
23 Jan 2011 09:49 AEST
Noels
Singleton
05 Nov 2010 08:48 AEST
Kat
Prahran
You shouldn't use an electric stove
Hi Hannah, you can't use an electric stove because it will put the Tagine too close to the heat-source. I guess you could try a table top gas cooker (like the ones Koreans use for steamboat) which costs about $20 at Asian stores. It would be a shame not to make this recipe, it's one of my favorites!
17 Jul 2010 09:54 AEST
Hannah
Cape Woolamai
electric stove top?
Noticed that this recipe specifies use of a gas stove top. I only have an electric stove. Just wondering whether anyone can tell me whether I could still cook this on the electric stove or whether I could possibly use the oven? Ta
16 Jul 2010 09:51 AEST
Aybbbbby
London
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Hot Tips
Preparing a new Tajine
To prepare a new tajine before cooking; soak overnight in water (the bathtub is a good place). Then fill with water, add same salt and a few bay leaves and a few cardamom pods. Heat over a low gas flame, until boiling to infuse the herbs into the porous terracotta. If your tajine is used regularly this won't need to be redone. Tajines can be used on the barbecue, charcoal or low gas flame but are not recommended for electric cook tops or in the oven.
Glossary
Elephant Garlic
Milder than regular garlic and larger, this is actually a member of the leek family but is used as garlic would be.
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