Chicken Tagine with Olives

Method

Tap a step to highlight it, or turn on Cook Mode for large type and step-by-step focus.

1. Rub the chicken with the grated onion, garlic, fresh and ground ginger, turmeric, white pepper and half the saffron water. Leave 1 hour, or overnight.

   Mark done

2. Heat the olive oil in a tagine or heavy casserole and brown the chicken skin side down for 6 minutes. Turn and give it 2 minutes.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

3. Add all the marinade from the bowl and cook 5 minutes until the onion softens and the pot smells of ginger.

   Mark done

4. Pour in the stock and the rest of the saffron water and tuck in the herb bundle.

   Mark done

5. Cover and simmer very gently for 45 minutes, turning the chicken once.

   Mark done Start 45 min timer

6. Blanch the olives in boiling water for 2 minutes if they are very salty, then drain.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

7. Add the olives and preserved lemon rind and cook uncovered for 15 minutes.

   Mark done Start 15 min timer

8. Lift the chicken onto a plate and boil the sauce hard for 8 to 10 minutes until it reduces to a thick glaze that coats a spoon.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

9. Remove the herb bundle, return the chicken, add the lemon juice, and only now taste for salt.

   Mark done

10. Rest 5 minutes and serve with bread to mop the sauce.

    Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Salt at the end, never at the start. The olives and lemons do that job.
• Reduce the sauce properly after the chicken comes out.
• Use the rind of the preserved lemon only — the flesh is bitter and salty.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A quarter-teaspoon of ground ginger per tablespoon of fresh is the standard ratio if you are working from the spice rack rather than a fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Vegetable stock in place of the chicken stock makes this meat-free without changing the method, if that is what you need.

Pairing Suggestions

• Warm flatbread or couscous
• A tomato and pepper salad
• Mint tea

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate up to 3 days and freeze 2 months. Reheat gently in the sauce.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.