1
Marinate chicken
Rub chicken with garlic, ginger, turmeric, saffron water if using, salt, pepper, half the herbs, and olive oil.
Marinate chicken
30:00
Morocco | Main dish
Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons & Olives
Moroccan chicken tagine with preserved lemons, olives, saffron, turmeric, onion, parsley, and cilantro.
Country
Morocco
Region
North Africa
Time
120 min
Serves
6
Level
medium
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
Use this overview to check the occasion, serving ideas, regional context, and cooking commitment before you begin.
When to cook it
Best for Friday family lunch. Plan on a medium cook and about 120 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
Moroccan bread, cucumber salad, mint tea, or simple roasted vegetables
Follow the collection
One-Pot Wonders is the easiest collection to explore after this dish. One-Pot Wonders
Regional lane
Tagines and special mains. Slow-cooked, spiced, sweet-savory, and celebratory dishes that anchor the table.
Chef watch-outs
- Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
- Adding all seasoning early and forgetting to adjust at the end.
- Cooking on heat that is too high once the dish should be steaming or simmering.
How you know it is ready
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
- Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
- The final texture should match the dish style before you plate it.
Pantry lane
preserved lemon, green olives, saffron, ras el hanout, semolina
Recipe photos
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Chef board
Build the table around Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons & Olives
Moroccan bread, cucumber salad, mint tea, or simple roasted vegetables
Best route from here
Tagines and special mains
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
5 steps
45 min prep
75 min cook
120 min total
medium
2
Build tagine
Spread onions in a tagine or heavy pot. Add chicken and any marinade, then pour in a little water or stock.
3
Cook gently
Cover and cook over medium-low heat until the chicken is tender and the onion sauce has reduced.
Slow cook
60:00
4
Add lemon and olives
Add preserved lemon rind and olives. Simmer uncovered until the sauce is glossy and concentrated.
Finish sauce
15:00
5
Serve
Scatter remaining parsley and cilantro over the tagine and serve with bread for scooping.
Every household has small variations. Start here, then adjust seasoning, heat, and serving sides to your kitchen.
Keep exploring
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