Weeknight Chicken Tagine

Name: Weeknight Chicken Tagine
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Cuisine: moroccan
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced; 1 1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into 1- to 1 1/2-inch pieces; 1/2 cup pitted Castelvetrano or Kalamata olives, for serving; 2 lemons, cut into wedges, for serving; 1 baguette, for serving; 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock; 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed; 1 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnishing; 1 to 2 tablespoons seeded and finely chopped preserved lemon or the zest of 1 lemon; 3 garlic cloves, minced or pressed; 1 teaspoon honey or granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 teaspoon ground ginger; Fine sea salt and black pepper

By Nargisse Benkabbou

Published June 14, 2024

Weeknight Chicken Tagine — Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell.

Total Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 5(1,527)
Comments: Read comments

Making a tagine might not be the most labor-intensive task, but it can definitely be time-consuming. In this non-traditional recipe, you'll enjoy all the classic flavors of a m'qualli chicken tagine but in less than an hour. Made with preserved lemon and olives, this dish is perfect for satisfying your mid-week Moroccan food cravings. M’qualli tagine refers to one of the ways Moroccan tagines are traditionally seasoned, incorporating ground ginger, ground turmeric and garlic, resulting in a rich, dark yellow sauce. Don’t hesitate to adjust the consistency of your tagine by adding a couple tablespoons of water or stock if it’s too dry, or letting it simmer for a few extra minutes for a thicker sauce. Serve it with bread for a more traditional experience (such as flatbreads or crusty breads like a baguette), but rice or potatoes will also work.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

For the Chicken

2tablespoons olive oil
2large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1¼pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs cut into 1- to 1½-inch pieces
½cup pitted Castelvetrano or Kalamata olives, for serving
2lemons, cut into wedges, for serving
1baguette, for serving

For the Marinade

½cup vegetable or chicken stock
2tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
1cup finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus more for garnishing
1 to 2tablespoons seeded and finely chopped preserved lemon or the zest of 1 lemon
3garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1teaspoon honey or granulated sugar
1teaspoon ground turmeric
1teaspoon ground ginger
Fine sea salt and black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Start preparing the chicken: Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-low. Add the onions, cover and leave to cook, allowing the onions to start sweating, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, make the marinade: In a medium bowl or measuring jug, combine the stock, oil, cilantro, 1 tablespoon preserved lemon, garlic, honey, turmeric, ginger, ¾ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
Step 3
Pour about half of the marinade into the pan containing the onions, stirring to combine. Cover and cook over low, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 4
While the onions are cooking, add the chicken to the bowl containing the remaining marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge while the onions finish.
Step 5
When the onions are soft and translucent, add the chicken along with the marinade to the pan. Cover and simmer over medium-low for 15 to 20 minutes depending on the thickness of the chicken, stirring occasionally, until the meat is fully cooked.
Step 6
When the chicken is cooked through, the sauce may have thickened slightly, but the pan should not be dry. If necessary, add 1 tablespoon stock or water at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and preserved lemon to taste.
Step 7
Garnish with olives and cilantro and serve with lemon wedges and torn pieces of baguette.

Ratings

5 out of 5

1,527 user ratings

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Comments

joan1 year ago

in case this would be helpful to anybody, I always have a jar of homemade preserved lemons in my refrigerator. But I did find it strange that most recipes just called for chopping up the peel and discarding the lemon inside it which I thought was kind of a waste of good lemon. so after my preserved lemons have finished preserving themselves, I purée them in the food processor and then I can just use it by the tablespoon and dont have to separate peel and discard the actual lemon.

Chris1 year ago

Very good, easy recipe. The preserved lemon is not optional, it's a foundational flavor to the dish and just using lemon would make this a pretty boring meal. Olives could be optional, but I garnished with a ton. Could use some depth with saffron or searing the chicken first or something...

David1 year ago

I added : 1/2 lb fresh green beans 1/2 lb diced red skinned potatoes 1 carrot To chicken as it cooked Also to marinade before cooking: large pinch saffron 1/4 tsp fennel pollen 1 tsp smoked paprika

Classical Cook4 days ago

Delicious, easy, quick, and simple ingredients! Can’t ask for more! Made with rice, will add a green veg next time!

Akimbo1 week ago

Laugh all you want but this too is excellent with a little labneh (instead of- or in addition to lemon juice)

esther1 week ago

Made this tonight and everyone loved it. I did leave out the cilantro since of my guests doesn't like it. Its a good company dish since you can make most of it a bit ahead, leaving it on the stove top and then throw the chicken in 20 minutes before serving. I used thighs for extra flavor rather than breasts and Castelvetrano since I find that kalamatas will overpower a dish like this.

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