Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Green Olives
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While on vacation a few months ago, we made our bi-annual trip to the outlet mall. While there, my mother-in-law officially decreed that every time we go to the outlet mall, I get a piece from Le Creuset. God bless her.
This time I chose a tagine. A tagine is a traditional cooking vessel from Morocco.
It turned out to be a very wise purchase. This thing rocks! I’ve made tagine chicken three times now, and every time it has come out great. I didn’t have to marinate the chicken at all, and yet it was flavorful and moist. My whole family loves my tagines — even my toddler who is a bit picky.
It’s something to do with the way the shape of the cone encourages condensation which rises and falls… My mother-in-law tried to explain it to me. I don’t understand it at all but I will say, whatever it is, it works.
And, because I got it at the outlet store, the tagine only cost $80. The outlet malls have Le Creuset “seconds” which are supposedly flawed in some way and not “first” quality. But for the life of me, I can’t find any flaws in the seconds I have bought.
Notes On This Recipe
I spoke to a Moroccan cooking expert at the WAPF conference and she said you can use a regular dutch oven or cast iron skillet with a lid. It might not come out AS good as it does with the tagine, but it will work just fine.
Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Green Olives
Equipment
Tagine
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil and/or butter (I used all butter and it was great)
3 pounds chicken thighs and breasts — with bone or boneless (ideally pastured chicken, or at least organic — I did about half thigh and half breast meat — you could do all breast meat but I don’t know if it would be quite as flavorful and moist; also, with the bone is more flavorful but either will work)
1 large yellow or white onion, chopped
2 lemons (ideally organic)
2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup honey
2 cups chicken stock (ideally homemade)
3/4 – 1 cup green olives (drained of liquid)
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Cut 1 lemon into 8 wedges. Squeeze enough juice from second lemon to measure 2 tablespoons; set wedges and juice aside.
2. Add butter/olive oil to your tagine or a large cast iron skillet and heat over low to medium-low heat.
3. Add chopped onion. Cook until soft.
4. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
5. Set burner to high and add chicken to tagine (or skillet). Sear until slightly browned. Turn down the heat.
6. Cut lemons in half. Squeeze 2-3 tablespoons worth of juice and set aside. Cut lemons into small slices.
7. Add sliced lemons, crushed garlic, paprika, cinnamon, ginger, and honey to tagine (or skillet) and mix.
8. Add chicken stock and bring to boil. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Once boiling, if using Le Creuset tagine, reduce heat to low and cover. If using clay tagine, transfer from skillet to tagine, reduce heat to low and cover.
10. Cook for 45 minutes.
11. Transfer chicken to bowl or plate.
12. Add olives and 2 tablespoons lemon juice to tagine.
13. Set heat to high. Bring to a boil and cooke uncovered until it reduces 2/3 to 3/4.
14. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
15. Add chicken back to the tagine and serve over brown rice or whole wheat couscous (if using couscous, soak overnight with water and whey or couscous).
This post is a part of Real Food Wednesday, hosted this week at Kelly the Kitchen Kop.
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24/11/2009 at 9:21 pm Permalink
I’ve seen those at my local outlets and they look really cool, but I wasn’t sure what they were used for. Did you buy a whole chicken and break it up? I only buy chickens from HFF and just roast them. I would love to try something different.
24/11/2009 at 9:25 pm Permalink
Alison –
Yes you can break up a whole chicken. It comes out more flavorful when you use chicken with the bones than when you use boneless. But boneless works, too.
The photo above was taken when my inlaws were in town. I ran to the store and got “free-range” chicken thighs (I was out of HFF whole chickens).
24/11/2009 at 10:26 pm Permalink
I recently decided I want one of those – you are blessed! My mom has an extensive Le Creuset collection; I didn’t appreciate it until recently. She doesn’t have a tagine though. The recipe looks wonderful. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Wardeh @ GNOWFGLINS´s last blog ..Real Milk Comes From… (Video)
24/11/2009 at 10:47 pm Permalink
Looks and sounds super delicious- I absolutely love Moroccan flavors, and would kill for chicken tagine. Well, maybe not kill for it… body check for suresies tho.
Out of curiousity, have you tried baking bread in the tagine? Just want to know how it works compared to a regular dutch oven…
Sweetcharity´s last blog ..Features
24/11/2009 at 11:02 pm Permalink
I bet adding some preserved lemons (both in the cooking for flavor, and as a garnish and some probiotics) would be scrumptious with this. very cool tagine, btw.
25/11/2009 at 3:59 am Permalink
I’m just gazing in awe at your tagine. Gorgeous gorgeous cookware.
Soli´s last blog ..
25/11/2009 at 4:26 am Permalink
I can personally attest to home delicious this was…even got me thinking about getting a tagine, but then the thought passed. I may have to visit the outlet here after Christmas (when they drop prices and the stores are empty) and get one.
25/11/2009 at 4:59 am Permalink
Love that yellow! How wonderful of your MIL!
25/11/2009 at 5:35 am Permalink
I really should thank Seth for the tagine; he is the one who bought it. But yes, Nancy is also wonderful for encouraging him to buy it for me.
Nancy – I realized this is actually a slightly different recipe than what you tasted. The one I made when you were here had cinnamon & raisins. The recipe for that one is in the book that comes with the Le Creuset tagine.
Caroline – Yes! It would be even better w/ preserved lemons.
25/11/2009 at 5:52 am Permalink
This would be a great use for those lemons I preserved a couple weeks ago. I dream of owning some enameled cast iron. I do love the colors of LeCreusset though, beautiful!
Chiot’s Run´s last blog ..There’s Still Some Color
25/11/2009 at 7:19 am Permalink
Can you make preserved lemons pretty easily for those of you suggesting? I have always wanted to do that, but will regular organic lemons from Whole Foods work? That is pretty much all I have access to.
I have been eyeing that Tagine for a while now too. I get Le Crueset every time we go to the outlet too (usually that is the reason we make the trip to the outlet which is only about an hour from our house). That is why we don’t go very often even though it is relatively close, can drop a good amount of money in one day.
I might have to get that piece next time. The main reason why I haven’t gotten it before is that I wasn’t sure if it would hold enough for a family of 6.
25/11/2009 at 7:43 am Permalink
Thanks for explaining the tagine! The recipe looks great! I have to come up with very flavorful recipes to get my husband to eat chicken so I will definitely give this one a try!
25/11/2009 at 7:43 am Permalink
Depends on how much your family eats. I think you can get enough in there if you squeeze it in. And also do some other dishes maybe.
There are also cheaper tagines I’ve seen — the clay ones. You could get two of those. You just have to sear the meat first then cook in the clay.
25/11/2009 at 7:47 am Permalink
Lisa – From what I have read the preserved lemons are not hard to make. And yes organic lemons are fine.
25/11/2009 at 9:12 am Permalink
You are so blessed to have such a sweet mom-in-law! I wish mine would do that for me… I am always hoping to own at least ONE Le Crueset. Anyway, the chicken looks delicious!! I’m hungry now
)
Marillyn @ just-making-noise´s last blog ..Sweet Wholesome Wednesday: Vanilla Mesquite Macaroons
25/11/2009 at 9:36 am Permalink
This sounds WONDERFUL!!!! I don’t have a tagine, can you use something else instead.
Geri
Geri@heartnsoulcooking´s last blog ..MEXICAN TURKEY and DUMPLINGS
25/11/2009 at 3:20 pm Permalink
I used to make this recipe quite often, but haven’t made it recently. Thanks for the reminder. I’ll probably make it tomorrow.
Lovelyn´s last blog ..Morris Dancing
25/11/2009 at 4:20 pm Permalink
Ann Marie,
You’re probably too young, but I wonder if you ever went to the old Pioneer Boulangerie Restaurant in Santa Monica? It was a sit-down restaurant down by the pier, not the little place they have now on Montana. Anyway, they used to have a Basque chicken dish with green olives that I loved. With all the Moorish influence in Spain I wonder if the Basque dish derives from the Moroccan version.
26/11/2009 at 9:47 am Permalink
Mmmm, I love Moroccan dishes, especially with preserved lemon/lime & olive combinations, though I don’t yet have a tagine. Good to know the Le Creuset version gets your nod of approval.
An gluten-free alternative to couscous is quinoa, by the way.
28/11/2009 at 12:44 pm Permalink
Hi everyone,
Can you make Moroccan Chicken without the tagine? Say, in a covered casserole pot? Sounds so yummy!!
At least, I have the Preserved Lemons. Here’s the recipe-
http://www.whitehat.com.au/Food/Condiments/PLemons.asp
29/11/2009 at 7:31 am Permalink
PaulD – No I didn’t know about that place. Sounds yummy!
29/11/2009 at 7:32 am Permalink
Yes you can use a Dutch oven or skillet with a lid. Please see above under Notes on This Recipe
23/02/2010 at 8:18 pm Permalink
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10/07/2010 at 5:07 pm Permalink
OH. This looks delicious! I don’t really like olives, so this would maybe be a good way to get them in my diet?
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10/07/2010 at 5:41 pm Permalink
You could leave the olives out.