Chicken Tagine With Preserved Lemon Sauce

A classic preserved lemon chicken tagine with green olives and dried apricots for a touch of sweetness, finished with a punchy preserved lemon and garlic sauce spooned over at the table. Find step-by-step photos below and more recipe tips above.

📝 Ingredients

• 3 lbs chicken marylands, thigh and leg attached, 6 pieces (1.4 kilograms)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2/3 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml )
• 1 medium onion (quartered and sliced)
• 2 medium-large carrots (sliced into thick rounds)
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (about 1/3 of a lemon)
• 3 large cloves garlic (sliced)
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander seed
• 1/3 preserved lemon (about 40 grams (1.4 oz), finely diced)
• 2 cups chicken stock or broth (500 ml )
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (only if using unsalted stock)
• 6-8 dried apricots (about 90 grams (3.2 oz))
• 3.2 oz green pitted olives, briny, about 20 olives (90 grams)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 3.5 oz marinated artichoke hearts, excess oil drained, optional (100 grams)
• 1/4 preserved lemon (about 25 grams (0.9 oz), very finely chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (minced or grated)
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
• Zest of 1/4 lemon
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (30 ml)
• Couscous (about 1 cup cooked per person)
• Lemon wedges and fresh parsley
• Steamed green beans

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- To make the chicken tagine: ---
2. 2Pat dry and rub in seasoning on the chicken: Pat the chicken marylands dry and sprinkle each side with salt, pepper and turmeric. Rub it in and set aside.
3. 3Cook chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or tagine over high heat. Once sizzling, place the chicken pieces skin side down. Cook for 5 minutes on medium-high, then flip and cook for another 5 minutes, until golden and crisp.
4. 4Remove chicken and cook onion and carrots: Remove the chicken from the pot. Add the onion and carrots to the leftover oil and cook for 1-2 minutes until they start to pick up some color.
5. 5Add the lemon zest, garlic, tomato paste, preserved lemon, cumin, smoked paprika and coriander. Stir through with the onion and carrots for a minute or so, letting the spices release their aroma.
6. 6Pour chicken stock and nestle chicken back in: Pour in the chicken stock, add the dried apricots and most of the olives, and stir through. Nestle the chicken pieces back into the broth, moving the vegetables and olives around to make space. Pour back in any chicken juices from the plate, then scatter the remaining olives and the artichoke hearts over the top.
7. 7Cover and cook: Once the broth is bubbling again, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 45 minutes.
8. 8Serve with lemon wedges: Let it sit for 5 minutes before serving with lemon wedges and the preserved lemon and garlic sauce on the side. I like to drizzle a little sauce over the chicken in the pot, then finish with fresh parsley.
9. 9--- To make the preserved lemon and garlic sauce: ---
10. 10Chop preserved lemon: Chop the preserved lemon, both rind and flesh, very finely until it's almost a purée.
11. 11Combine lemon puree with minced garlic, chopped parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and salt: Combine the lemon purée in a bowl with the minced garlic, chopped parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Whisk well. It should taste lemony, salty and a little garlicky, with a gentle bitterness from the preserved lemon.
12. 12Prepare couscous. I like to prepare mine with Vegeta stock powder and boiling water, it gives the couscous a lovely savoury depth.