Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   SEASON THE CHICKEN: Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix cumin, ginger, turmeric, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Rub this spice mixture generously over all sides of the chicken pieces - don't skip this step as it builds the aromatic foundation of the dish.

2. 2

   BROWN THE CHICKEN: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or tagine over medium-high heat. Working in batches (don't overcrowd), brown chicken pieces skin-side down for 4-5 minutes until golden, then flip and brown 3 minutes more. The skin should be deeply golden and crispy. Remove chicken to a plate - it won't be cooked through yet.

3. 3

   BUILD THE AROMATIC BASE: Reduce heat to medium. Add sliced onions to the pot and sauté 8-10 minutes until soft and golden, stirring occasionally and scraping up the browned bits from the chicken. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.

4. 4

   START THE BRAISE: Pour in chicken broth and add the saffron threads (crush them between your fingers as you add them to release more flavor). Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. Return the chicken pieces to the pot, nestling them into the liquid. The liquid should come about halfway up the chicken.

5. 5

   SLOW BRAISE: Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 30 minutes. The chicken should be nearly falling off the bone and the sauce should be fragrant and slightly reduced.

6. 6

   ADD THE FINISHING TOUCHES: Add preserved lemon quarters (rinse first to remove excess salt) and green olives. Cover and cook 15 minutes more. The preserved lemon adds a unique bright, complex citrus flavor that's essential to authentic tagine. Taste the sauce and adjust salt if needed.

7. 7

   SERVE: Transfer to a serving dish or serve directly from the tagine. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro. Serve over gluten-free couscous or with crusty GF bread to soak up the flavorful sauce. This dish tastes even better the next day as flavors develop.