Maman’s Moroccan Lemon and Olive Chicken Tagine

1 medium chicken, cut into 8 pieces or
8 chicken thighs
1 generous pinch of saffron soaked for
10 minutes in 1 cup of warm water

Ingredients for Chicken Marinade
Pulp of 1 large preserved lemon, reserve
lemon skin for tagine
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon ginger powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black
pepper
2 tablespoons saffron water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Marinating the chicken
In a large bowl, combine parsley, preserved lemon, garlic, paprika, ginger, cumin, pepper, saffron water and olive oil. Mix well.
Place the chicken in the bowl with the charmoula marinade and massage into the flesh.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

Ingredients for the Tagine
2 onions, finely grated
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
8 medium golden potatoes, peeled and
quartered
1 cup canned green olives, rinsed and
drained
1 cup dry white wine
Skin of 1 preserved lemon, cut into strips
1/4 cup cilantro, roughly chopped plus
more for garnish
1/4 cup Italian parsley, roughly chopped
plus more for garnish

Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven or heavy pot, then add the onions.
Sprinkle salt and turmeric into the pot.
Place the chicken, skin down on top of the onions. Pour in any leftover marinade and add lemon juice.
Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the liquids start to slowly bubble.
Flip the chicken pieces over, then add the potatoes and olives and stir well. Add the remaining saffron water and white wine and cover the pot.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 to 2 hours, until the chicken and potatoes are fork tender.
Uncover the pot and add the preserved lemon skin and fresh parsley and cilantro.
Continue cooking uncovered on low for 15 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened.
Taste sauce and add salt if necessary (the preserved lemons are already salty!)
Garnish with fresh cilantro and parsley.
Serve on a beautiful platter or straight out of the pot.

Quick Preserved Lemon

Preserved lemon is magical and is very simple to make. Pickling fresh lemons with kosher salt in a jar for 1 month yields incredible flavor. (Recipe on our website sephardicspicegirls.com.) But if you don’t have time, try this quick hack.

4 lemons, washed and dried
1/2 cup kosher salt

Slice lemons in 1/8 inch slices and remove any pits. Place in a bowl and cover thoroughly in kosher salt.
Place salted lemons in a freezer bag or tightly sealed container and freeze overnight.