The Perfect Moroccan Chicken Tagine: A Step-By-Step Guide

Moroccan chicken tagine is a traditional North African dish, often cooked in a clay pot called a tagine. The dish is a combination of chicken, vegetables, spices, and aromatics. The clay pot helps to slow cook the ingredients, concentrating the flavours while bringing the taste to a new level.

Choosing your chicken pieces

Choosing the right chicken pieces for your Moroccan tagine is important to ensure a delicious, tender, and flavourful dish. Here are some tips and suggestions for selecting the perfect chicken pieces:

Bone-in vs. Boneless Chicken:

• Bone-in chicken pieces, such as thighs, drumsticks, or a mix of thighs and wings, are commonly used in Moroccan tagine recipes. The bones add depth of flavour to the dish, and the meat stays juicy and tender during the cooking process.
• While boneless chicken thighs or breasts can be used, they require a slightly different cooking method. Add them to the sauce later in the cooking process to avoid overcooking, or fully cook them in the pan and toss them with the sauce before serving.

Skin-on vs. Skinless Chicken:

• Many recipes call for skin-on chicken thighs or drumsticks, as the skin adds flavour and richness to the dish. However, the skin can be removed midway through cooking or before serving for a less fatty dish.
• Skinless chicken can also be used, but it may require a shorter cooking time. Check the internal temperature of the chicken to ensure it is cooked through.

Quantity and Size of Chicken Pieces:

• The quantity of chicken pieces needed will depend on the size of your tagine or cooking vessel and the number of servings required. A range of 4 to 6 chicken thighs or a whole chicken cut into 8 to 10 pieces is commonly used.
• If using a mix of chicken thighs and wings, you may need a larger quantity, such as 6 to 8 pieces.

Preparing the Chicken:

• Before adding the chicken to the tagine, it is typically seasoned with a variety of spices, such as saffron, ginger, paprika, cumin, turmeric, and black pepper. Some recipes suggest marinating the chicken in this spice mixture for a few hours before cooking.
• If desired, you can also sear or brown the chicken pieces in a pan before adding them to the tagine to enhance their flavour and create a fond (browned bits) that will add depth to the sauce.

Remember to select high-quality, fresh chicken pieces and adjust the cooking time as needed to ensure the chicken is cooked through. Enjoy creating your delicious Moroccan chicken tagine!

Preparing your tagine

The first step to preparing your tagine is to gather and prepare your ingredients. You will need to mince the garlic, chop the onions, and thinly slice the preserved lemon. If you are using saffron, you can bloom it with an ice cube for 15 minutes. You can also prepare any other vegetables you plan to include in your tagine, such as carrots, potatoes, or zucchini.

Next, you will need to heat up some oil in your tagine or cooking pan. Add the garlic and onions and sauté until they are translucent and fragrant. If you are not using a tagine, you can use a Dutch oven, cast iron skillet, or any other large, deep skillet or pot.

At this point, you can add your chosen spices and mix well. Common spices used in a Moroccan chicken tagine include cumin, ginger, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and pepper. You can also add salt to taste. Mix until the spices coat the garlic and onions evenly.

Now it's time to add the chicken. If you are using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, you can arrange them on top of the onions and spices. If you are using a different type of chicken, such as boneless, skinless thighs or breasts, you may need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Pour in some water, chicken stock, or a combination of both. You want to add enough liquid to partially cover the chicken. Bring the liquid to a simmer and then cover the tagine or cooking pan.

Let the tagine simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the size and type of chicken you are using. Check on it regularly and add more liquid if needed to prevent it from drying out. The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).

Once the chicken is cooked through, you can optionally broil the skin side up for a few minutes to make it golden brown and crispy. This step is especially recommended if you are using skinless chicken thighs or breasts.

Finally, serve your Moroccan chicken tagine with couscous, rice, or traditional Moroccan bread. Garnish with fresh herbs such as cilantro or parsley, and enjoy!

Making the spice mix

Ingredients:

• Garlic
• Saffron
• Ground ginger
• Sweet paprika
• Ground cumin
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Chicken
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Medium onions
• Kalamata olives
• Cracked green olives
• Preserved lemons
• Flat-leaf parsley

Method:

• Finely chop the garlic and pulverize the saffron threads.
• Mix the garlic, saffron, ginger, paprika, cumin, and turmeric together in a small bowl. If you are not using kosher chicken, add 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Add pepper to taste.
• Rub the spice mixture over the chicken pieces. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours to allow the chicken to marinate.
• Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet or tagine. Add the chicken and brown on all sides. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
• Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 to 15 minutes, until they are lightly browned.
• Place the chicken on top of the onions and sprinkle with the remaining ingredients: olives, preserved lemons, and parsley.
• Mix chicken stock and lemon juice, and pour over the chicken.
• Cover the tagine or skillet and place it over low heat. Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.

The spice mix is essential to the flavour of the Moroccan chicken tagine. Feel free to adjust the quantities of the spices to suit your taste preferences. You can also add other spices like cinnamon, allspice, or coriander for an even more complex flavour profile.

Browning the chicken

Firstly, season both sides of the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. The amount of salt and pepper you use can vary according to your taste preferences, but a good starting point is 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper for 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. You can use a whole cut-up chicken for chicken tagine, but chicken thighs are recommended as they provide a good amount of meat and remain tender.

Next, heat some oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until it starts to smoke. You will need enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. This is important because the oil will help to brown the chicken and prevent it from sticking to the pan. Once the oil is hot, place the chicken pieces in the pan, skin-side down, in a single layer. This will ensure even browning. Cook the chicken for about 5 minutes, or until the skin is deep golden.

Using tongs, flip the chicken pieces over and brown the other side for about 4 minutes. You may need to adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness of your chicken pieces.

Once the chicken is browned on both sides, transfer it to a large plate and set aside. At this point, you can remove and discard the chicken skin if desired.

Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. This will help to prevent the dish from becoming too greasy.

Now you are ready to move on to the next step in cooking your Moroccan chicken tagine!

Adding the vegetables

Now that you have your chicken nicely browned and your spices fragrant, it's time to add the vegetables. For this recipe, we will be using onions, garlic, carrots, and preserved lemons. You can also add potatoes, green peas, cauliflower, green peppers, and zucchini, or whatever leftover veggies you have in your fridge.

Start by adding the onions and garlic to the pan. Sauté them for a few minutes until the onions are translucent and the edges are browned. If you're using a tagine, transfer this mixture to the base of your tagine. If you're using a regular pan, just make sure to turn the heat down to medium.

Next, we'll add the chicken back into the pan, along with some water or chicken stock. You can also add cinnamon sticks, crushed tomatoes, chickpeas, or dried fruit like apricots or figs for a touch of sweetness. Cover the pan and let everything simmer for about 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, add your carrots and any other vegetables you're using. Cover again and continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. This should take around 10-20 minutes, depending on the size of your chicken pieces.

Once the chicken and vegetables are cooked, it's time to add the preserved lemons. Preserved lemons are a key ingredient in Moroccan cuisine and give the dish a rich, authentic flavor. If you can't find preserved lemons, you can use thin slices of fresh lemon and a squeeze of lemon juice instead.

Give everything a good stir and adjust the seasoning to your taste. Add more salt, pepper, or spices if needed. You can also add a drizzle of honey to balance out the acidity.

And that's it! You've added the vegetables and your Moroccan chicken tagine is almost ready to serve. In the final steps, we'll talk about how to serve this delicious dish and some garnishes you can use.

Frequently asked questions