Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Lemon, Green Olives & Potatoes

Ingredients

For 4 portions

• 🍗 900g chicken thigh, without skin (raw, boneless)
• 🧅 2 medium onions
• 🧄 4 cloves garlic
• 🪴 1 Tsp ground ginger
• 🪴 1 Tsp turmeric
• 🌿 1 Tsp cumin powder
• 🌿 1 stick cinnamon
• 🌿 1 pinch saffron
• 🏺 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 🥔 600g potato
• 🫒 120g green olives
• 🍋 1 medium lemon
• 🍗 1 cube chicken stock cube
• 🥤 400ml tap water
• 🌿 15g fresh coriander
• 🌿 15g parsley
• 🧂 0.75 Tsp salt
• 🌿 0.5 Tsp black pepper

Method

1. Mix the ginger, turmeric, cumin, salt, pepper, crushed garlic, half the chopped herbs and 1 tablespoon of the oil. Rub over the chicken thighs and leave for 15 minutes (or overnight in the fridge).
2. Crumble the saffron into 2 tablespoons of hot water. Grate the onions coarsely. Peel the potatoes and cut into thick wedges.
3. Heat the remaining oil in a tagine or heavy casserole over medium heat. Add the chicken and brown lightly for 2–3 minutes per side. Add the grated onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until soft.
4. Add the cinnamon stick, saffron water, the stock cube dissolved in the water, and the juice of half the lemon. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 30 minutes.
5. Tuck the potato wedges around the chicken, cover again and simmer for another 20–25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is falling off the bone.
6. Add the olives and the other half of the lemon, cut into thin wedges (or 1 preserved lemon, rinsed and cut into strips, if you have it). Simmer uncovered for 5–10 minutes until the sauce reduces to a thick, golden gravy.
7. Taste for salt (the olives are salty), remove the cinnamon and scatter with the remaining herbs. Serve from the pot with bread to mop up the sauce.