Chicken Tagine with Green Olives and Preserved Lemon

La storia di questo piatto

In the Maghreb, a tagine of chicken with preserved lemon and green olives is the dish of the family table, where saffron, ginger and cumin settle into one fragrant, salty-sweet embrace. Golden-skinned chicken, soft onion and briny olives speak the quiet language of home cooking across the region.

Ingredienti

• 1200 g Free-range chicken, cut into pieces (thighs, drumsticks and breast in 2-3 parts, skin and bone on)
• 2 pieces Preserved lemons
• 200 g Pitted green olives
• 2 medium Yellow onion
• 4 cloves Garlic
• 0.5 g Saffron threads
• 2 teaspoons Ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Sea salt
• 60 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 250 ml Chicken broth
• 15 g Fresh ginger
• 20 g Fresh coriander

Preparazione

1. Use the chicken already cut into pieces (thighs, drumsticks and breast divided into 2-3 parts), skin and bone on. Divide the larger pieces so they are similar in size and cook together. Dry them thoroughly with paper towels: if they stay damp they will not brown. Place them in a bowl with salt, pepper and cumin and massage for one minute, until each piece has an even coating of spices.
2. Place the saffron threads in a cup and pour in the warm broth: let it infuse for 15 minutes, until the liquid turns an intense yellow-orange. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables for the next step.
3. While the saffron infuses, slice the onions into thin rings, finely mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Keep the garlic separate from the onions: it will go into the pot only at the end of the softening stage.
4. Heat the oil in the tagine or a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken starting skin side down and let it brown without moving it for 3-4 minutes, then turn and brown on all sides. If needed, work in two batches so as not to crowd the pot. Transfer the pieces to a plate: the real cooking will happen later.
5. In the same oil, lower the heat to medium, add the onions and ginger and cook, stirring, for 5-6 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the ground coriander and stir for 1 minute. Only in the last 30-60 seconds add the garlic, so it does not burn and turn bitter.
6. Return the chicken to the pot with the onions and pour in the saffron broth. Scrape the bottom well with a spoon to lift the caramelized bits. Bring to a boil, then cover and immediately lower the heat to minimum.
7. Cook covered for about 50 minutes at a gentle simmer: if it boils hard the meat will dry out. Turn the pieces halfway through cooking. Meanwhile, prepare the preserved lemons: rinse them, discard the pulp (too salty) and cut the rind into thin strips. After 30-35 minutes add the olives and the preserved lemon rind and continue for the remaining 15-20 minutes. The chicken is ready when the meat pulls away easily from the bone with a fork; if it resists, extend by 5-10 minutes.
8. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt only if needed, since olives and preserved lemons are already salty. If the sauce is still too thin, remove the chicken with tongs, reduce the liquid over high heat for a few minutes until it becomes thick and glossy, then return the chicken and warm it for one minute. Serve in the tagine or on a platter, sprinkled with chopped fresh coriander.