Moroccan Chicken Tagine without a Tagine

A slow-cooked Moroccan chicken stew full of flavor and easy to make!

Watch the Video:

My Moroccan chicken tagine is made without a tagine, and you won’t even notice. If you aren’t familiar, tagine refers to a North African clay pot and the stew traditionally cooked in it. I don’t own a tagine pot, so I came up with a way to start the delicious stew on the stove and finish it in the oven. The result is the same juicy chicken with onions, saffron, and preserved lemons.

Why your family will ask for tagine often

• Juicy chicken
• Perfume lemon
• Warm, Moroccan spiced sauce
• Soft cooked onions
• A delicious, flavorful Moroccan chicken stew that’s easy to make!

Moroccan flavors

• Chicken leg quarters –or chicken thighs with skin removed
• Salt
• Freshly cracked black pepper
• Large onion, thinly sliced
• Preserved lemon –sub the juice of a whole lemon if you prefer
• Pitted olives –green or Kalamata

The Marinade:

• Olive oil –try the one in our shop straight from Crete, Greece!
• Garlic cloves -grated
• Ground dried ginger
• Sweet paprika
• Saffron threads plus a quarter cup of boiling water
• Fresh parsley –chopped
• Ground cumin –half to one teaspoon, depending on your liking
• Ground coriander
• Honey
• optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

What is preserved lemon?

Preserved lemons are small lemons soaked in a saltwater solution. Look for them in Mediterranean or Middle Eastern grocery stores and online. They are very aromatic and perfume the tagine. I don’t recommend using more than I’ve listed, so it doesn’t overpower the dish. If you can’t find them or don’t care for the flavor, you can use the juice of a whole lemon.

How to make Moroccan Chicken Tagine without a Tagine

• Combine the marinade ingredients in a large bowl and add the chicken.
• Then, quarter a preserved lemon and remove the pulp with a spoon.
• Chop the pulp, and stir it into the chicken.
• Add the lemon peel (optional) and toss the chicken in the marinade to coat. Let stand for an hour or overnight in the refrigerator for maximum flavor.
• Preheat the oven to 325 °F, 160 °C.
• Then, add the onion and 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil to a braiser casserole.
• Cook over medium heat until soft and golden –about 8 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the chicken with all of the marinade.
• Top with the olives, cover the pan with the lid, and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove the lid and bake for an additional 30-45 minutes at 400 °F/ 200 °C.

Using a tagine?

If you have a tagine pot, you can cook your stew on the stovetop over medium-low heat for 45 minutes—no need to use the oven.

An alternate dish for the oven

A baking dish or pan that’s 9 x 13-inches (23 by 33 cm) would work perfectly for baking a tagine. Once you’ve sautéed the onion, add it, the chicken, and marinade to the baking dish. Bake in a 325°F oven covered with foil for 30 minutes. Then, uncover and bake for 45 additional minutes at 400 °F, 200 °C.

Serve

Couscous, toasted bread, and/or salad would be great sides. However, my favorite way to serve tagine is with Chickpea Rice Pilaf. I cannot live without my rice cooker, and I’ve shared the link below. It makes rice perfect every time and keeps it warm while I’m pulling things together. Your family is going to love this tagine, and don’t forget the Chickpea rice pilaf! Kali Orexi!

For the Pilaf:

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1-2 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 (16-oz/ 450g) cooked chickpeas
• 2 cups Basmati rice
• 2 teaspoons salt
• juice of a lemon

Start by adding the onion and oil to a rice cooker. Set the rice cooker to the “Flash Rice” setting, and then cook until the onions are soft –about 10 minutes. Reset the “flash setting” 1-2 more times so that the machine cooks at a higher temperature. Rinse the rice 4-5 times with cool water and soak for 10-15 minutes. Add the garlic to the rice cooker and warm through. Then, drain the rice and add it to the rice cooker with two teaspoons of salt, 2 cups of water, and lemon juice. Set the rice cooker to the “White rice” setting. When it beeps, fluff the rice and serve.

Serve with:

• Couscous Salad
• Mediterranean Chickpea Salad
• Cumin Rice Pilaf
• Mediterranean Rice Pilaf
• Homemade Pita Bread