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Chicken with Olives, Lemon and Chickpeas

A twist on a classic Moroccan tagine. Browned chicken pieces slowly braised in a tangy spiced sauce with olives and preserved (or fresh) lemon plus chickpeas makes a satisfying, delicious stew. Serve with bread or rice and salad or couscous tossed through roasted vegetables.

It's recommended that you read the accompanying blog post before starting the recipe.

Course Main Course, Stew
Cuisine Middle Eastern, North African, Moroccan
Keyword stew, casserole, tagine
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 4
Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

  • 1 large pinch saffron threads (optional: see Recipe Notes for alternative)
  • 4 chicken thighs: bone-in, skin-on or off (see Recipe Notes for alternative cuts)
  • salt and black pepper
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion (roughly chopped)
  • 6 cloves garlic (finely chopped or thinly sliced)
  • 2 level tsp ground ginger (for a milder flavour, this and the other spices can be halved)
  • 2 level tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 level tsp ground cumin
  • 2 level tsp paprika
  • 1 - 2 level tsp Aleppo pepper or chilli flakes
  • 1 rounded tbsp tomato puree
  • 400 ml chicken stock
  • 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses, honey or other sweetener (can be increased/decreased/left out depending on preference)
  • 240 g cooked chickpeas (approx. 1 standard tin, drained)
  • 1 medium bunch coriander, parsley, or a combination (roughly chopped)
  • 20 pitted olives (green, black, or a mixture)
  • 2 small preserved lemons (or half a fresh lemon)
  • ½ a lemon (juice only)

Instructions

  1. Put the saffron threads in a small heatproof container and pour over just enough boiling water to cover. Stir and set aside.

  2. Preheat your oven to 180°C /160°Fan /Gas 4 /350° F with a shelf in the middle.

    Alternative: the dish can be cooked entirely on top of the stove if preferred.

  3. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.

    Put the olive oil in a casserole dish (preferably on the shallow side as this traps less steam) over medium-high heat.

    When hot add the chicken, skin side down, and cook until golden brown and crispy then turn and cook the other side for a few minutes.

    Remove the chicken and set aside.

  4. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onions and garlic seasoned with a little salt and pepper.

    Cook until the onions are starting to colour and soften.

  5. Stir in the ginger, cinnamon, cumin, paprika, and Aleppo pepper or chilli flakes, plus the tomato puree. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

  6. Add the saffron and its soaking water along with 350 ml of the stock, the honey, pomegranate molasses or other sweetener and stir to thoroughly combine. Add the chickpeas, plus HALF of the chopped herb. Simmer for 2 minutes then add the browned chicken.

    Simmer for 1 minute more, take off the heat and put on a lid.

  7. Transfer the casserole to the preheated oven and cook, stirring occasionally to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the dish, until the chicken is tender (approx. 45 minutes for large bone-in thighs).

    Tip: if you have a thermometer the meat should be at least 74°C/165°F to be safely cooked, however the texture of thighs or drumsticks will be nicer if cooked longer.

  8. Cut the preserved lemons in half, discard the pulp and any pips. Chop or thinly slice the skin and add to the casserole along with the olives (halved or sliced if liked) and most of the remaining coriander or parsley. If using fresh lemon slices instead of preserved lemon, slice thinly and add those now.

  9. Return to the oven (or finish on top of the stove) for another 10 - 15 minutes.

    Tip: to thicken the sauce, bubble with the lid off for a few minutes. If it seems too thick add more stock.

  10. Taste the sauce and add more salt and pepper if needed.

    Stir in the lemon juice and serve with coriander or parsley sprinkled over.

    Tip: if you used skin-on chicken, you can re-crisp it by placing the casserole under a hot grill for a few minutes.

  11. Can be stored for 2 days in the fridge or frozen.

    Reheat in a microwave or on top of the stove. Chicken is best taken off the bone, cut into pieces and reheated in the sauce. Add a splash of water to the sauce if it looks dry.

Recipe Notes

Saffron. If you don't have saffron, half a teaspoon of ground turmeric can be added at the same time as the other spices. The flavour won't be the same, but it will impart a similar yellow tint.

Chicken. If preferred, a mixture of thighs and drumsticks can be used, or boneless thighs or breasts. Note that the cooking time is likely to be less for boneless chicken, so check to avoid overcooked, dry meat.