Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Green Olives and Preserved Lemon

Steps

1. Step 1

   Pat the chicken legs dry and season all over with the salt and pepper. Let them sit at room temperature while you prep everything else.

   10 min

   • 4 whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick, about 3 lb total)
   • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
   • 1/2 tsp black pepper
2. Step 2

   Crumble the saffron threads into a small bowl and pour the warm water over them. Set aside to steep; the water should turn deep yellow-orange.

   10 min, hands-off

   • 1/2 tsp saffron threads
   • 3 tbsp warm water
3. Step 3

   Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken legs skin side down and brown without moving them, about 6 minutes, then flip and brown 3 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Pour off all but about 2 tbsp of fat.

   10 min

   • 4 whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick, about 3 lb total)
   • 3 tbsp olive oil
4. Step 4

   Lower the heat to medium. Add the sliced onions and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring and scraping up the browned bits, until soft and golden at the edges, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.

   9 min

   • 2 yellow onions
   • 4 cloves garlic
   • 1 tbsp fresh ginger
5. Step 5

   Add the cumin, turmeric, paprika and ground cinnamon and stir for 30 seconds, until the spices smell toasty. Pour in the broth and the saffron water, add the cinnamon stick, and stir well.

   2 min

   • 1/2 tsp saffron threads
   • 2 tsp ground cumin
   • 1 tsp ground turmeric
   • 1 tsp sweet paprika
   • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
   • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
   • 1 cinnamon stick
6. Step 6

   Nestle the chicken back in skin side up along with any juices from the plate; the liquid should come about halfway up the legs. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on low, turning the legs once halfway through, until the meat is very tender and pulls easily from the bone, 40 to 45 minutes.

   45 min, hands-off

   • 4 whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick, about 3 lb total)
7. Step 7

   While the chicken braises, make the couscous: bring the water or broth to a boil with the butter and a good pinch of salt. Stir in the couscous, cover, and take it off the heat. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

   10 min

   • 1 1/2 cups dry couscous
   • 1 3/4 cups water or chicken broth
   • 1 tbsp butter or olive oil
   • salt
8. Step 8

   Uncover the pan and move the chicken to a plate. Stir the olives and preserved lemon rind into the sauce and simmer uncovered over medium heat until the sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon, 8 to 10 minutes. Taste and add salt only if needed — the olives and lemon are salty.

   10 min

   • 1 cup cracked green olives (such as Castelvetrano), pitted
   • 1 preserved lemon (or 2 strips fresh lemon zest plus 1 tbsp juice)
9. Step 9

   Return the chicken to the pan, spoon the sauce over it, and warm through for 2 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick. Scatter the cilantro and parsley over the top and serve over the couscous.

   3 min

   • 4 whole chicken legs (thigh and drumstick, about 3 lb total)
   • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
   • 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley

Where it’s from

Written by AI from an idea

Version 1, saved Oct 4, 2026