Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Olives

Ingredients

• 8 pieces boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 whole large yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1 pinch pinch of saffron threads
• 1.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup pitted green olives
• 1 whole preserved lemon, rinsed and quartered
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed

Instructions

1. 1

   Pat all 8 chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with 1.5 teaspoons of kosher salt and 0.75 teaspoon of black pepper. Drying the meat is essential — it allows the chicken to develop a golden crust instead of steaming in the pot.

2. 2

   Dice 1 large yellow onion into 1/2-inch pieces — keep them uniform so they cook evenly. Peel and finely mince 4 garlic cloves. Have your spices ready: 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 0.5 teaspoon turmeric, and a pinch of saffron threads.

3. 3

   Set a 5-quart heavy-bottomed pot or tagine over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil and let it heat for 1 minute until shimmering — you'll see wisps of heat rising from the surface.

4. 4

   Working in two batches to avoid crowding, lay the seasoned chicken thighs skin-side down in the hot oil. Sear for 4-5 minutes without moving them — you should hear a steady sizzle and smell that savory, caramelized aroma. The skin should turn golden and crispy. Flip and sear the other side for another 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

5. 5

   Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat left in the pot. Add the diced onion to the remaining oil and sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 5 minutes. You'll see the onions turn translucent at the edges.

6. 6

   Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Then add 1 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 0.5 teaspoon turmeric, and a pinch of saffron threads. Toast the spices for 30 seconds, stirring — the pot will smell deeply aromatic and warm.

7. 7

   Pour in 1.5 cups of low-sodium chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon — these caramelized bits add deep flavor. Return the seared chicken thighs to the pot, nestling them among the onions.

8. 8

   Add 1 cup of pitted green olives and 1 rinsed and quartered preserved lemon. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer — you should see small bubbles breaking the surface at a steady pace, not a rolling boil. Cover the pot and reduce heat to medium-low.

9. 9

   Braise for 25-30 minutes, until the chicken is fork-tender and shows no resistance when pierced at the thickest part of a thigh. The meat should pull away easily from the bone if using bone-in thighs, and the sauce should be rich and aromatic.

10. 10

    Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with a pinch more salt or pepper if needed. Tear 0.5 cup of fresh cilantro and scatter it over the top of the tagine just before serving.

11. 11

    Ladle the chicken and sauce into shallow bowls, making sure each serving gets olives, a piece of preserved lemon, and some of the onion-spiced broth. Serve hot over fluffy couscous or with warm flatbread to soak up the sauce.

Tools you’ll need

• 5-quart heavy-bottomed pot or tagine
• paper towels
• wooden spoon
• chef's knife
• cutting board
• instant-read thermometer (optional)

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