Moroccan Chicken Tagine
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Chicken tagine is a traditional Moroccan dish of chicken pieces braised with spices, garlic, onion, olives, and preserved lemons. It’s company-worthy yet easy to throw together.
Chicken tagine is a traditional Moroccan dish of chicken braised with spices, garlic, onion, olives, and preserved lemons. It’s a company-worthy dish yet easy enough to throw together on a not-too-busy weeknight. The word tagine refers to the shallow clay vessel with a cone-shaped lid in which the dish is traditionally cooked, but you don’t need one to make it. I use a large cast-iron braiser; a wide Dutch oven or heavy covered skillet will work, too. This recipe, tweaked a bit from Cook’s Illustrated, does not call for preserved lemons, a specialty ingredient that can be difficult to find. Instead, lemon zest and fresh lemon juice add tart brightness to the dish. Serve the chicken on a platter or individual plates over a bed of couscous.
What you’ll need To Make Chicken Tagine
While you can use a whole cut-up chicken for chicken tagine, my preference is to use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs only, similar to my coq au vin recipe. The thighs provide a good amount of meat and remain tender even if slightly overcooked, and the bones and skin add depth of flavor and richness to the sauce (though the skin is removed midway through cooking). Sometimes, I pull the meat off the bone before serving — makes it easier and more appealing for the kids to eat — but serving the chicken on the bone is traditional.
How To Make Chicken Tagine
To begin, combine the spices in small bowl.
Mix well and set aside.
Zest the lemon. Combine 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest with 1 minced garlic clove; set aside.
Season both sides of chicken pieces with 2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Brown the chicken pieces skin side down in single layer until deep golden, about 5 minutes.
Using tongs, flip the chicken pieces over and brown the other side, about 4 minutes more. 
Transfer the chicken to a large plate; when cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and discard.
Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and add the onion.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until they have browned at the edges but still retain their shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add a few tablespoons of water if the pan gets too dark).
Add the remaining minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spices and flour.
Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Stir in the broth, honey, remaining lemon zest, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits.
Add the chicken (with any accumulated juices) back in, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Scatter the carrots around the chicken, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots are tender-crisp, about 10 minutes more.
Add the olives, garlic-zest mixture, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice.
Stir to combine and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired.
Serve with couscous.
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Moroccan Chicken Tagine
Chicken tagine is a traditional Moroccan dish of chicken pieces braised with spices, garlic, onion, olives, and preserved lemons. It’s company-worthy yet easy to throw together.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 lemon
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 4 pounds), trimmed of excess skin and fat (see note)
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, halved and cut into ¼-in-thick slices
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups chicken broth
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 large or 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick coins
- ½ cup Greek cracked green olives, pitted and halved (see note)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Combine the spices in a small bowl and set aside. Zest the lemon. Combine 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest with 1 minced garlic clove; set aside.
- Season both sides of chicken pieces with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or pan over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Brown the chicken pieces skin side down in single layer until deep golden, about 5 minutes; using tongs, flip the chicken pieces over and brown the other side, about 4 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a large plate; when cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and discard. Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have browned at the edges but still retain their shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add a few tablespoons of water now and then if the pan gets too dark). Add the remaining minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spices and flour and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, honey, remaining lemon zest, and ¼ teaspoon salt, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add the chicken (with any accumulated juices) back in, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the carrots, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots are tender-crisp, about 10 minutes more.
- Stir in the olives, reserved lemon zest-garlic mixture, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice; taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Serve with couscous.
- Note: Don't fret too much over trimming the chicken thighs. The skin gets removed midway through the cooking process and most of the fat will cook off and get drained. I usually just take kitchen shears and quickly snip off any excess skin or fat. Cracked green olives are olives that have been ‘cracked’ or split open before curing, allowing the brine or marinade to penetrate. You can find them in your supermarket’s olive bar, or substitute any green olive that you like.
- Make-Ahead: After you have completed the step of cooking the carrots, the dish can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. To serve, gently warm on the stove until the chicken is heated through, then proceed to the step where the olives and remaining ingredients are added.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 chicken thigh
- Calories: 367
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated fat: 3 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Sugar: 7 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 47 g
- Sodium: 794 mg
- Cholesterol: 215 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Looks delicious. Can it be made and frozen?
Hi Rosemary, You can definitely freeze this and reheat it in the oven when you’re ready to eat it. Enjoy!
This is a wonderful recipe! I’ve made it a few times and it’s certainly become a family favourite. I served it with couscous, roasted chickpeas and roasted butternut. A 5 star dish.
I would love to try this recipe but I’m allergic to paprika 🙁 What should I use instead? Or just leave it out? I love all your recipes, thanks so much!
Hi Turtle, It’s fine to just leave it out. Enjoy! 🙂
Jenn, I made this tonite with the preserved lemon and it was soooo delicious. Of course I can’t compare it to the dish had I used lemon zest and juice but it is a winner and absolutely scrumptious. My adult son came for dinner and loved it. I threw in a few apricots and dates for good luck! Really good! Thank you for sharing your talents with us all. I don’t think there is one of your recipes that we haven’t thought was excellent !
Thanks for reporting back, Donna. So happy it turned out well! ❤️
Hi
I would really like to try this recipe but wondered what can I use instead of the broth? Can I substitute this for water?
Thanks
Hi Aliya, the broth adds a lot of flavor here but I suppose you could use water in place of it. You’ll likely need to add more salt to the recipe which you can do to taste before serving. Hope you enjoy!
Jenn, this sounds delicious and coming from you, it can’t be anything but the best! I have some preserved lemons that I got for a potato kugel recipe. I’d like to use them in this recipe but am not sure what to leave out. Should I leave out both the lemon zest and the lemon juice and replace them with 1/2 preserved lemon or a whole? Also, would you just use the skin of the preserved lemon and throw away the flesh or just chop up the whole thing? Thanks in advance for this as well as ALL your wonderful recipes. You’re my go to as every single recipe you post is an A+!
Yes I’d omit the lemon zest and juice, then just use the thinly sliced rind of one preserved lemon. I’d love to know how it turns out!
This is an incredibly delicious dish. It turned out exactly like the picture above. Wonderful aroma while cooking.
I made it yesterday and followed the recipe. It was awesome. I also paired it with your recipe of couscous and green beans and it was great too. Thanks for sharing your cooking talent. Since I found your book and blog, I’m more motivated to cook. My husband always asks me where I got the recipe, if I say from Once Upon A Chef, he is happy because he knows it will be delicious as everything we have tried from your book/blog. Thanks again.
I made this for my family and it was a big hit. The flavors are amazing and the one-pan-dish makes cooking and cleaning up easy!
Made this for a big family dinner, and everyone loved it – I like my carrots more cooked, so I added them before the chicken and cooked them in the broth for a little before adding the chicken. Absolutely delicious!
I just made this using boneless thighs and it’s absolutely delicious. I followed the recipe as written. That sauce! So so good. The spices are subtle but everything together is so flavorful. Had it over yellow with a side of green beans. Beautiful and delicious meal. Lots of leftovers too.
Any suggestions for vegetable sides, preferably green?
Thanks, Karen
Hi Karen, this would pair nicely with this wild mushroom and asparagus dish or French green beans with shallots. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jenn I always love all your recipes! Wanted to try this one but all I have is chicken breast, will that work okay? Thanks
Hi Melissa, So glad you enjoy the recipes! Although I think this is best and more moist with thighs, yes, you can use chicken breasts on the bone (cut the breasts in half before cooking). When you add the chicken back to the pan, I’d reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
This was very good.
I don’t like olives. Could I use chopped dried apricots instead? If so when should I add them to soften them?
Sure, Lesley, I think apricots would be nice here. You could add them with the chicken it gets returned to the Dutch oven. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Followed exactly! FANTASTIC! Thank you for yet another wonderful recipe! Will make often!
I want to make my Chicken in Tagine, Can I convert from the pan that is shown
Hi Sandee, I have to admit that I don’t know if a tagine can be used on the stove-top so, to be safe, I’d recommend sticking with the pan for this. Sorry!
I use my Emile Henry tangine pan on top of my gas stovetop always! No problem at all!
If you google “heat diffuser for tagine,” you will find a piece of flat metal that sits between the burner and the tagine. As the name infers, it diffuses and distributes heat evenly so that your ceramic tagine can safely simmer without cracking. I have been making tagines on the stove top for years this way and have never had an issue with the tagine cracking. Hope this helps!
Very helpful, Elaine — I’m sure readers will appreciate your input! 🙂
This worked out really well. So delicious, I will make it again soon.
Hi Jenn,
Want to make Moroccan Chicken Tagine recipe but need to be able to freeze it for future use.
Would love to reheat it in oven using Tagine.
Any suggestions?
Thanks, Bonnie
Hi Bonnie, You can definitely freeze this and reheat it in the oven. I’d reheat it in a 350-degree oven until heated through. (Add a little chicken broth or water to thin the sauce, if necessary.)
This sounds amazing! I plan to make this along with the couscous. Are there any appetizers you would suggest to go along with this?
Hi Sande, this would pair nicely with my hummus or you could use this as a “starter” salad.
This recipe is perfect! It is both easy and wonderfully flavorful. My whole family loved it!
This was delicious…this recipe is definitely a keeper! Thank you!
This is another winner in our house. I skipped browning the chicken and sautéed the onions in a little olive oil. After making the sauce I poured it over the chicken in baking pans and baked it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes uncovered and another 15 or 20 covered. I will make this again! Thanks again Jenn!
Hello Jenn. As usual this looks wonderful. I was wondering if I could skip browning the chicken and, instead, use a little olive oil to saute the onions and then bake the dish in the oven instead of on the stove. Thanks.
Sure, Kathy, I think that should work. Hope you enjoy!
The dish was easy to make and then smell of the spices were incredible. I think I added too much lemon so next time i’ll add half the amount so the spices remain prominent and i’ll cut my carrots smaller. I’m grateful for these recipes; thank you for sharing with us!
My son recently studied abroad in the Middle East and came home with a whole new love for Indian and Middle Eastern dishes. Although this recipe was a bit more labor intensive than I usually commit to it was worth every ingredient and step! One of the most delicious recipes I’ve ever made!!!
This was delicious, even luscious with its rich, savory flavors. I made the full recipe for my wife, and we enjoyed this for three dinners. The prep seemed to take me longer than suggested here, but that was fine; in fact, I found preparing and organizing everything to be relaxing and peaceful. I wouldn’t change a thing. Delicious!
I’ve made a lot of your recipes Jenn and really loved them. Unfortunately this one was just OK. I followed the recipe exactly and while the finished dish looked good, it lacked a depth of flavor I’ve come to appreciate in other morrocan dishes I’ve made. I won’t make this one again.
Hi Jenn,
I would love to try this but have an infant under 1 year old so honey is out. There also seems to be some contention over whether maple syrup is safe (or I would just use that). Can I substitute brown sugar, and if yes, would it be the same amount? Also, I have a Costco size jar of kalamata olives I would love to use up, can I replace the green olives with them in this recipe without altering the flavour too much?
Thanks in advance, love the site!
Sure, Bry – brown sugar (same amount) would be a perfect substitute. And it’s fine to use any kind of olive you like. Please let me know how it turns out. 🙂
My wife and l loved this dish. It was delicious! It was a little labor intensive for an amateur with no skills (me) but it’ll be easier next time and there will definitely be a next time. Thank you for a great, hearty meal.
Hello Jenn I love your blog! I was searching for a recipe to knock off Zoe’s Moroccan chicken and found you instead. I’m going to try this but was wondering – can I sub chicken breasts for the thighs? Would that require increasing cook time? What do you think? ( I’m already checking out more of your recipes!)
Thank you, Holly
Hi Holly, glad you happened to find the blog! Although I think this is best and more moist with thighs, yes, you can use chicken breasts on the bone (cut the breasts in half before cooking). When you add the chicken back to the pan, I’d reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes. Hope you enjoy! 🙂
Thank you Jenn!
I just made this!!! It’s so delicious thank you
This is a very different mix of flavors, and I was not sure what I would think. Nobody in my family is particularly fond of sweet undertones in our meals, so I was a little skeptical. I also couldn’t quite reconcile the honey/cinnamon with the cayenne and green olives/cilantro prior to making this. As I always do, I made it (almost) exactly as written, except I doubled the carrots. I made it with Jenn’s Perfect Couscous. This is extremely tasty and my most sweet-intolerant child seemed to love it the most. It is a beautiful dish with complex flavors, and the sauce is really delicious on the couscous. I think it tasted even better the next day as leftovers. I am happy to have something a little different to add to my repertoire. I would recommend having every ingredient measured out ahead of time, except for the honey, as it will really help once you get going. Jenn, I often wonder what we would eat with out you. Thank you for sharing your gifts and talents. I am grateful for you many times a week.
So glad you enjoyed it, Mary! 🙂
Awesome. I have zero cooking skills but I just followed the instructions and voila, delicious flavorful meal.
Absolutely delicious! What a wonderful aromatic meal – in both taste, texture, and smells. My home took on a magical quality of fragrance and smells. Made the dish exactly as suggested – didn’t change a thing. Superb!
Made this last night for dinner and it was fantastic! I adapted the recipe so it would cook in the slow cooker. (Basically browned the chicken and made the gravy, then transferred it and cooked on low. Finished with a splash of lemon juice and garnish of coriander). The house smelled amazing and will make again! Thanks for another great meal!
I thought this was a little too sweet, but I’ve never had chicken tagine before, so maybe that’s just part of the tradition. I’ll try it with half the honey honey next time though. It certainly made the kitchen smell fantastic.
Quite stunning. The broth is so deliciously unctuous that serving in a bowl to maximize flavors is a must. Loved this one, the spice rub has such a deep and floral quality with the coriander.
May I use skinless, boneless chicken thighs? My guess would be it would be okay since it seems several people have used breasts and still loved it!
Sure, Sally. I’d cut down on the searing time though; 1 to 2 minutes on each side should do it.
This recipe is a winner (as Jenn’s usually are). The flavors are wonderful!
I apologize for being a little late to the party; I just discovered your wonderful blog and this recipe!
I’d love to try this recipe; I just wish you’d included instructions for preparing in an actual tagine. I realize tagines fall into the category of “specialized cookware” and you want to ensure your recipes are accessible to the majority of your readers, but perhaps a note at the end of the recipe detailing the changes in technique one would need to make if one has and wants to use the type of equipment (in this case, a clay tagine) would be helpful to those of us who have it, and in which this type of recipe would traditionally be prepared.
The trouble is, I use my tagine so infrequently I tend to forget which steps in a recipe I can and cannot do in it (i.e., can I brown the chicken in it on the stove top, or do I need to do that in a separate skillet & then transfer the chicken to the tagine?)
Providing that information in tagine recipes would encourage me to use my tagine more frequently. She’s sad. And lonely…
I have to admit that I don’t know if a tagine can be used on the stove-top so, to be safe, I’d recommend sticking with the pan for this (sorry that your tagine will remain sad and lonely)… 🙂
I made this in a tangine and it was awesome! My dinner guests were impressed and thought it was a super sophisticated meal. 🙂
It was my first time using a tangine. I bought it because I like trying different cooking techniques and methods from around the world. (If you ever need to borrow something for the kitchen, I probably have it!) As far as how make this recipe using your tangine I suggest you do what I did — educate yourself using Google and YouTube. It won’t take long; you’ll get some great tips; and you’ll learn a little historical context to impress your dinner guests.
Hi jenn I just finished making this and my house smells amazing. I plan to serve it tonight. We are just two people. I made the full recipe to try before making it for a dinner party. Can I freeze half the chicken and sauce for a future meal for just us. Would I reheat it in the oven. Thanks.
Lynn
Hi Lynn, Yes, you can definitely freeze half. You can reheat in the oven or on the stovetop over low heat. Add a little water or chicken broth to thin the sauce if necessary. Enjoy! 🙂
Wonderful, wonderful dish! I served your perfect couscous on the side. My husband could not stop raving. Thank you Jenn!
Hi Jenn, LOVE your cookbook and your recipes, thanks so much for sharing! I have preserved lemons, would you please tell me how to incorporate them in this recipe? Thanks again!
Hi Michelle, I wouldn’t recommend the preserved lemons here. Preserved lemons contain some salt and because I didn’t test the recipe using them, I’m not sure how it would impact the amount of salt you’d need to add. I think you’ll love this version of it, though!
I made this tonight and it was delicious! My husband doesn’t care for chicken thighs so I used breasts instead and they too were delicious. I also added preserved lemon for some extra citrus. I noticed that the written recipe at the end didn’t reflect the lemon juice or zest in the ingredients. It was a little confusing when it came time to finish the dish but it didn’t matter. It turned out really well. Have your spoon ready to scoop up the “gravy”. It’s so tasty! Thanks for a great dish!
Hi Jenny, So glad you enjoyed it! Adding the reserved zest-garlic mixture in the last step — I have updated the instructions to make it more clear. Sorry for any confusion!
This looks delicious. I am on a strict low sodium diet. What can I use in place of the olives?
Hi Luisa, You can just leave them out…or you could add more carrots or some dried apricots if you like.
I burnt the heck out of my dutch oven. What can I do differently?
Hi Whitley, At what stage during the cooking process did the pan burn?
Can I use fresh ginger instead of ground ginger?
Sure, but you’ll need more – about 1.5 tsp. Enjoy!
Can u use chicken breast instead of thighs.
Hi Felice, Although I think this is best and more moist with thighs, yes, you can use chicken breasts on the bone (cut the breasts in half before cooking). When you add the chicken back to the pan, I’d reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
My family does not like dark meat chicken. Can you substitute with white meat? What adjustments would need to be made?
Although I think this is best and more moist with dark meat, yes, you could. I’d recommend chicken breasts on the bone (cut the breasts in half before cooking). When you add the chicken back to the pan, I’d reduce the cooking time by about 5 minutes. Hope you enjoy!
What is the purpose of removing the skin?
Hi C – You don’t have to remove the skin, but it doesn’t stay crisp when braised so I find it unappealing. Hope that clarifies!
I lived in Morocco for 8 years and one taste of this took me right back. Delicious.
Hi Jenny,
This looks great – I would like to try out this recipe however one of my guests is gluten intolerant, what do you recommend i substitute the plain flour with, kindly also confirm the measure with the substitution you recommend.
many thanks,
Nadia
Hi Nadia, I would add a tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with a tablespoon of cold water at the end, right before you add the olives (and simmer it for a minute to thicken the sauce). You could also just omit the flour — the sauce will be more like a broth but still delicious.
Rice flour does the trick. Mochiko brand works well, and I use it for my gluten-free daughter when flour is called for.