Chicken tagine is one of the most beloved dishes in Moroccan cuisine \u2014 a slow-cooked stew of tender chicken, warming spices, and bright, tangy flavors. Named after the conical clay pot it is traditionally cooked in, this dish is surprisingly easy to make at home with just a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Whether you are new to Moroccan cooking or a seasoned home chef, this recipe will transport your kitchen to the souks of Marrakech.<\/p>\n
A tagine is both the name of the North African clay cooking vessel and the slow-cooked stew made inside it. The conical lid traps steam and returns moisture to the dish, making even the simplest ingredients melt-tender. Chicken tagine typically features bone-in chicken pieces braised with onions, garlic, preserved lemon, olives, and a rich blend of spices including cumin, coriander, turmeric, ginger, and cinnamon.<\/p>\n
Serves:<\/strong> 4\u20136 | Prep time:<\/strong> 20 minutes | Cook time:<\/strong> 1 hour<\/p>\n Mix all the spice rub ingredients together in a small bowl. Pat the chicken pieces dry with paper towels, then rub the spice mixture all over them, getting under the skin where possible. For best results, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight. If you are short on time, even 15 minutes at room temperature will add great flavor.<\/p>\n Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the chicken on all sides, about 3\u20134 minutes per side. You are not cooking it through at this stage \u2014 just building a golden crust for depth of flavor. Remove and set aside.<\/p>\n Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8\u201310 minutes until softened and lightly golden. Add the garlic and fresh ginger and cook for another 2 minutes until fragrant.<\/p>\n Add the diced tomatoes and chicken broth to the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Return the chicken to the pot, nestling the pieces into the sauce. Add the preserved lemon rind and honey. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 40\u201345 minutes until the chicken is completely tender and falling off the bone.<\/p>\n In the last 10 minutes of cooking, add the green olives. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, or a squeeze of lemon juice. If the sauce is too thin, uncover the pot and let it reduce for a few minutes.<\/p>\n Transfer to a large serving dish or bring the pot straight to the table. Scatter generously with fresh cilantro and parsley. Serve hot with fluffy couscous, crusty bread, or steamed rice to soak up every drop of the incredible sauce.<\/p>\n The classic pairing is fluffy couscous<\/strong> \u2014 just pour boiling broth or water over it, cover, and fluff with a fork after 5 minutes. Warm flatbread or crusty baguette is perfect for mopping up the sauce. A simple salad of cucumber, tomato, and fresh mint rounds out the meal beautifully.<\/p>\n Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce. Chicken tagine also freezes well for up to 3 months.<\/p>\n This chicken tagine recipe is comfort food at its finest \u2014 deeply aromatic, incredibly tender, and bursting with the bold, layered flavors of Morocco. Once you make it, it will become a regular on your dinner table.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A classic Moroccan chicken tagine with tender fall-off-the-bone chicken, warming spices, preserved lemon, and green olives. Easy to make at home in a Dutch oven \u2014 perfect served over fluffy couscous.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5720","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5720","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5720"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5720\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/recipes.bollyent.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}For the Spice Rub<\/h3>\n
\n
For the Tagine<\/h3>\n
\n
Instructions<\/h2>\n
Step 1: Marinate the Chicken<\/h3>\n
Step 2: Brown the Chicken<\/h3>\n
Step 3: Build the Base<\/h3>\n
Step 4: Simmer Low and Slow<\/h3>\n
Step 5: Add Olives and Finish<\/h3>\n
Step 6: Serve<\/h3>\n
Tips for the Best Chicken Tagine<\/h2>\n
\n
Variations to Try<\/h2>\n
\n
What to Serve with Chicken Tagine<\/h2>\n
Storage and Reheating<\/h2>\n