Moroccan Chicken Tagine recipe with cous cous

[gruntygiggles]

Right guys, this is being put up as I had a request this morning and thought I'd share it with all of you as it's a great summer dish to share with people.

You will need - for 2 people (double for 4 and so on)

A large tagine or big saucepan/deep frying pan, caserole dish with lid.

1 Medium whole chicken
150g pitted green olives (drained)
2 tbsp olive oil
300ml water
6-8 cloves garlic, left whole with skins on
1tsp ground turmeric
1tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
a few strands of saffron (4-5 is plenty)
1 preserved lemon (see bottom of recipe for how to cheat if you can't find them)
salt and pepper


For the Cous Cous

2 cups cous cous
1/4tsp cumin
1/4tsp cinnamon
generous pinch of salt and pepper
6-8 dried apricots, finely chopped
handful flaked almonds
large handful of chopped fresh coriander
1 tsp olive oil
Squeeze of half a lemon


For the Tagine; if you don't have preserved lemons, follow the steps at the bottom of the recipe and leave to cool.
In a large tagine, casserole or saucepan, place the chicken whole, but make sure you have removed any string. In a bowl; combine the oil, water, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin and saffron and mix. Pour this over the chicken and then drain and add the olives. Place the whole garlic cloves around the chicken, making sure that they are covered by the liquid. If not, add a little more water. If you have a whole preserved lemon, scrape out pulp, rinse it well under a tap and chop into 8 pieces. Scatter it on and around the chicken. If you have made your quick preserved lemon, just place the slices on and around the chicken. Don't season until the end as you need to test it after it's cooked due to the salt in the preserved lemon.

Cook this on a low heat on the hob with a tight fitting lid for around 2 hours. If you joint the chicken, this can be reduced to an hour and a half. It should be a very low heat, allowing the ingredients to steam as opposed to boil or simmer. If you prefer, you can start on the hob and transfer to the bottom of an oven set to 120c/gas 2.

If using a tagine, you can just leave it. If using a different cooking vessel, check it every 30 minutes to make sure it had not dried out. Add a little extra water if and when needed.

10 minutes before serving, have a taste to check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to your liking.


Now you can make the cous cous. In a large glass or ceramic bowl, add the cous cous, cumin, cinnamon and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour on boiling water until it covers the cous cous and you have 1cm of water above the level of the cous cous. I have tried all ways of using certain amounts of water to cous cous, using cold or tepid water, but this always gives a great fluffy cous cous and has never failed me.

As soon as the water has gone on the cous cous, cover with tight cling film and leave for 10 minutes.

When the 10 minutes is up, remove cling film, add all other ingredients and stir through. Taste and season a little more if needed.

To serve, if you have a tagine, just put that on the table as a centrepiece, otherwise, transfer to a warmed serving dish with the cous cous.

This is also really good with some flatbreads or pittas, is a great sharing dish and is really really easy.

As Drew and Lily know.....this, with the chicken portioned into 8 pieces and a lamb and apricot tagine easily fed 7 people generously and when you have the dry ingredients...is not that expensive either.

Hope you enjoy

In fact, I'll do it for Dan tonight and post a pic later






For the quick Preserved Lemon, slice the lemon into 5mm thick slices and place in a frying pan with a large pinch of salt and 2 tsp caster sugar. Add a tbsp water and heat gently until the lemons are softened and starting to take on a tiny bit of colour. Take off heat and leave to cool. When cool, remove the pulp and cut the slices in half so that you are left with strips of the peel. Use when needed.

To make your own preserved lemons, Get a large sterilised jar and 6-8 lemons...try and get smaller lemons if you can as these are far better for preserving. Scrub the lemons under a tap and dry. If there is a little stalk left on one end, just trim it a little. From the other end of the lemon, cut down lengthways until the knife is 1 inch from the bottom. Then turn the knife to make an identical cut, making a cross through the lemon. Do this with all of the lemons and then pack with salt. Don't be stingy, I use at least a tbsp per lemon. Make sure you use very good quality pure rock salt or Kosher salt as anything else will leave a very bitter taste.
Pack the lemons into the jar, pushing down as you go until they are all in. Close the lid and leave on the counter overnight. You can add a cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, cumin seeds etc if you want, but I prefer to leave them plain as I can then have better control over the spices in my dishes.
The next day, repeat the procedure with 3-4 more lemons (or as many as will fit. Leave another 24 hours and then, on the third day, squeeze in some fresh lemon juice if neede to make sure that all lemons are submerged in juice.

The jar can now be left for 1 month in a cool dark place (not the fridge). After this time, they are ready to be used and should now be stored in the fridge. They will keep in the fridge for another 6 months to be use when needed.

To use, remove the lemon, slice in half, scrape out the pulp and rinse well under the tap to remove excess salt. Cut the peel as required.

Yummy! I'll be giving that a try - thanks for sharing

[Luckypants]

Similar to my recipe. I never use cinnamon in anything though, as I believe it to be a work of the devil!

Do you use whole or ground spices in the cous cous?

[Littlepeahead]

I have only recently discovered preserved lemons in Waitrose - I love them. I finely slice half of one up into my salmon and asparagus risotto and it adds a real zing. This recipe sounds delicious - will have to try it at the weekend.

[Messie]

Oooh I love tagines. I went to Morocco with a group of friends once and stayed in a hostel type of place. As well as the husband being the most informative and helpful guide for us, his wife gave us cooking lessons.
I brought a tagine all the way just to be able to make them properly.

I'll try this recipe next time I have guests. Thanks GG!

[gruntygiggles]

Hope you like it Amanda, you can put chopped onion in there as well, but I think that's one ingredient too many so don't bother anymore.

Also....when I do it, I use about 12 cloves of garlic, so use more if you want.....just squeeze the garlic pulp out of the skins and spread on the chicken just before you eat it......it's too good for words

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by Luckypants

Similar to my recipe. I never use cinnamon in anything though, as I believe it to be a work of the devil!

Do you use whole or ground spices in the cous cous?

I generally toast and grind all my own as and when I need them as they keep longer in the cupboard so are much fresher that way. I say ground in the recipes because it's just simpler for most people.

I agree on the cinnamon, it can be very much overused, hence such a small amount. If you overuse it, it's all you can taste...but in such small amounts, it does make a difference.

I don't think you can go far wrong with any recipe you have for this.....so long as you have chicken, preserved lemon, olives and garlic.....the flavours are there, the spices just add to it.

Originally Posted by gruntygiggles

Hope you like it Amanda, you can put chopped onion in there as well, but I think that's one ingredient too many so don't bother anymore.

Also....when I do it, I use about 12 cloves of garlic, so use more if you want.....just squeeze the garlic pulp out of the skins and spread on the chicken just before you eat it......it's too good for words

my tagine broke the first time I used it on the hob otherwise I would be trying out.. Well ****ed off

[gruntygiggles]

Originally Posted by 454697819

my tagine broke the first time I used it on the hob otherwise I would be trying out.. Well ****ed off

You don't need a tagine to make it numbers....as said in the recipe...just use a saucepan or casserole

Also.....when you first use a tagine on the hob, you have to start at a very very low temp and "season" the tagine, as you would a Wok. Rub a little oil around it and let it sit on the hob on a very low heat for a good 20-30 minutes before you start using.

I'm not sure if you can use them on induction hobs. I know they are fine on gas and ceramic!