Tagine, a slow-cooked stew originating from Morocco, is a dish that is full of flavor and depth. With a blend of sweet and savory spices, tender meat, and hearty vegetables, it’s a meal that will warm your heart and soul.
The dish is named after the earthenware pot it’s traditionally cooked in, which has a distinctive conical shape. The pot traps steam and helps to keep the meat and vegetables tender and juicy.
One of the most popular tagine dishes is chicken tagine with preserved lemons and olives. The dish is made by slow-cooking chicken thighs with onions, garlic, saffron, ginger, cumin, and paprika, and then adding in preserved lemons and green olives for a tangy and salty kick.
Another popular tagine is lamb tagine with apricots and almonds. The tender lamb is slow-cooked with onions, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, cumin, and coriander, and then finished off with dried apricots and toasted almonds for a sweet and nutty flavor.
Another classic Moroccan tagine recipe is chicken and preserved lemon tagine. The combination of the slightly sour preserved lemon and the savory chicken creates a unique and flavorful dish that is sure to please any palate.
To make this dish, start by marinating chicken pieces in a mixture of olive oil, chopped onion, garlic, ginger, saffron, cumin, cinnamon, and salt. Once the chicken has marinated for at least an hour, brown it in a large pot over medium-high heat. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside.
In the same pot, sauté chopped onion and garlic until softened. Add chicken broth, chopped preserved lemon, and chopped green olives to the pot, along with the chicken. Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Serve the chicken and preserved lemon tagine over couscous or with crusty bread to soak up the delicious sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and additional preserved lemon, if desired.
