Chicken tagine with preserved lemons, green olives and thyme
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- + marinating
- A little effort
- Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 chicken, about 1.5 kg whole or in joints
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- a small knob butter
- 2 preserved lemons, cut into strips
- 125g cracked green olives
- 1-2 tbsp dried thyme or dried oregano
- small bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- to serve buttered couscous
marinade
- onion, 1 grated
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 25g root ginger, peeled and grated
- a small bunch coriander, finely chopped
- strands a small pinch saffron
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 3-4 tbsp olive oil
Method
- STEP 1
Mix all the ingredients for the marinade and rub it all over the inside and outside of the chicken. Cover and chill for 1-2 hours.
- STEP 2
Heat the olive oil and a small knob of butter in the base of a tagine or a heavy-based casserole in which the bird fits snugly. add the chicken and brown it on all sides. Tip in any left-over marinade and add enough water to come halfway up the chicken. bring the water to the boil, reduce the heat and cover with a lid. Simmer for about 50 minutes, turning the chicken from time to time.
- STEP 3
Add the preserved lemons, olives and half of the thyme. Simmer for a further 20 minutes with the lid off. Check the seasoning and add some salt and pepper if necessary. Sprinkle the rest of the thyme and the parsley over the top. Serve from the tagine with bread or couscous if you like.
