Tajine Djaj b Zitoun (طاجين دجاج بالزيتون) — Moroccan chicken tagine with green olives and preserved lemon

• 900 gChicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on (about 6 small thighs)
• 8 gKosher salt
• 1 tspGround black pepper
• 2 tspGround ginger
• 1.5 tspGround turmeric
• 0.25 tspSaffron threads (about 0.2 g)
• 30 mlWarm water (for blooming saffron)
• 12 gGarlic cloves, grated (about 4 cloves)
• 250 gYellow onion, thinly sliced (about 1 large)
• 30 mlExtra-virgin olive oil
• 350 mlChicken stock, unsalted
• 15 gCilantro, finely chopped (about 1/2 bunch)
• 15 gFlat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 1/2 bunch)
• 150 gGreen olives, pitted (Castelvetrano or Moroccan-style)
• 30 gPreserved lemon peel (rind only, pulp scraped off; about 1/2 preserved lemon)
• 15 mlFresh lemon juice (about 1 tbsp)
• 120 mlWater (add only if needed to keep a gentle simmer)

Instructions

1. 1

   Bloom the saffron by crushing the threads between your fingers, then stirring them into 30 ml warm water. Let it stand for 10 minutes so the color and aroma fully release, which will perfume the entire tagine.

2. 2

   Pat the chicken thighs dry, then season all over with the kosher salt, black pepper, ground ginger, and ground turmeric. Rub in the grated garlic as well, and let the chicken sit for 10 minutes to lightly cure and absorb the spices.

3. 3

   Set a tagine base or heavy Dutch oven over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the sliced onion and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring often, until softened and glossy; do not brown deeply, as the sauce should stay light and fragrant.

4. 4

   Nestle the chicken thighs into the onions in a single layer, skin-side down if using skin-on pieces. Cook for 5 minutes to lightly render and sear, then turn the chicken and cook 2 minutes more so the spices toast gently without burning.

5. 5

   Pour in the chicken stock and the bloomed saffron water, then scatter in the chopped cilantro and parsley. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover with the tagine lid (or a tight lid), and reduce heat to low so the liquid barely bubbles.

6. 6

   Braise for 45 minutes, turning the chicken once halfway through for even cooking. If the sauce reduces too quickly at any point, add up to 120 ml water in small splashes to maintain a steady, gentle simmer rather than a rapid boil.

7. 7

   While the chicken braises, rinse the olives under warm water for 20 seconds and drain well to remove excess brine. Slice the preserved lemon peel into thin strips, scraping away any soft pulp so only the aromatic rind goes into the sauce.

8. 8

   When the chicken is tender and reaches 75°C internally, add the olives and preserved lemon peel to the pot. Cover and simmer 10 minutes more so the olives warm through and the preserved lemon infuses the sauce without turning bitter.

9. 9

   Uncover and simmer 5–10 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce until it coats a spoon, keeping the heat low to avoid splitting the onions. Stir in the lemon juice, then taste and adjust with an additional 1 g salt only if needed, since olives and preserved lemon add salinity.

10. 10

    Rest the tagine off the heat for 5 minutes so the juices settle and the sauce emulsifies naturally. Serve the chicken with plenty of onion-saffron sauce, making sure each portion gets olives and preserved lemon.