Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemons.....

Green Olives, and Thyme



1 Chicken about 3 1/4 lbs.
1 tbsp. olive oil w/ a pat of butter
2 preserved lemons, cut in strips
175 g cracked green olives (I used the green olives I had on hand)
1-2 tsp. dried thyme or oregano
a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley finely chopped (I used dried)

For the Marinade:

1 onion grated
3 cloves garlic, crushed (I used garlic powder)
2 in. piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated (I used dried)
a small bunch of cilantro, finely chopped (I used Corriander)
a pinch of saffron threads
fresh juice of 1 lemon
3-4 tbsp of olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

In a mixing bowl mix together all the ing. of the marinade, and rub it all over the chicken inside and out. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 hours.

Heat the olive oil and butter in the base of the tagine or a heavy-based casserole. Add the chicken and brown it on all sides. Pour in any leftover marinade. Add all other ingredients & cover with tagine lid or the casserole lid and put into a 350° oven & let it bake 50-60 minutes. I actually let mine cook longer.

The liquid from my chicken spilled over into my oven, so I recommend if using a tagine to place it onto a large deep cookie sheet to catch any spills and save yourself from a mess to clean up.

I actually stuffed my preserved lemons into the cavity of the bird prior to baking and browning.

Cathy, I'm not familiar with a tagine. Will a dutch oven work ?

ricksrealpitbbq said:

Cathy, I'm not familiar with a tagine. Will a dutch oven work ?

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You bet it will, in the case of using your dutch oven you add water 1 cup to
1 1/2 cups this will ensure proper cooking. I'll bet the cast iron dutch oven you have will be perfect! The bottom of the tagine is not deep enough to add water, but I like the strong flavors so I do not necessarily want to add water.

By the way I made my own preserved lemons. They are great for many dishes. And very easy to make, if you would like I will post the recipe.

There is a Lamb Kefta (tiny meatballs) that I make and it is awesome! Makes me happy happy when I eat them

A tagine is made of red clay it has a base that is shallow I'd say about 1 in. in depth. It has a lid that covers, it is similar in shape to a halloween witches hat! It really seals the flavors in. If you'd like you can see one at Moroccan Spices, Argan Oil, Preserved Lemons, Harissa, Ras el Hanout, Zahtar and other ethnic gourmet seasonings they also have a great selection of other items you can purchase.

The thing I love about my tagine is it gives off it's own flavor as it cooks, and earthy flavor from the clay, it is very subtle and only detectable to people who really taste their food. Each time I cook in it the flavors improve. Interestingly you can use it stove top or in oven. I actually like it so much that I keep it as a decorative piece displayed in my kitchen.

If you ever should like to get one I will let you know how to "season" it properly before use.

Sounds very interesting. I've never heard of it before now. Are you Indian or just like cooking that way ? My daughter in law is Indian. Her family is from Trinidad.

ricksrealpitbbq said:

Sounds very interesting. I've never heard of it before now. Are you Indian or just like cooking that way ? My daughter in law is Indian. Her family is from Trinidad.

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I am not Indian, I just enjoy foods from many cultures. My sister-in-law is Lebanese and she 1st began introducing me to Mid-East cuisine. Of-course I fell totally in love with the flavors and have been on a quest every since to learn as much as I can about all the different foods I possibly can. It's fun, but I do have to admit I am liking it all a bit too much and my waist-line is slowly changing dimensions- from petite to "I'd rather not talk about it" sizes