Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Djaj Beldi and Onions

Name: Moroccan Chicken and Onion Tagine Recipe With Djaj Beldi
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 190 min
Total time: 200 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 chicken (cut into quarters); 2 large onions (sliced); 3 cloves garlic (pressed or finely chopped); 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon pepper; 1 teaspoon ginger; 1/2 teaspoon cumin; 1/2 teaspoon turmeric; Optional: 1/2 teaspoon Ras el Hanout; Optional: pinch of saffron threads; 1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil; 1/2 cup water; Optional: 1/2 preserved lemon (sliced or cut into quarters); Optional: handful of olives; Garnish: parsley or cilantro

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chicken in a tagine — William Shaw / Photolibrary / Getty Images

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 3 hrs 10 mins

Total: 3 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 4 servings

8 ratings

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Chicken tagines such as this are common fare at casual restaurants throughout Morocco and very easy to recreate at home. They're extra delicious when prepared in a clay tagine, which imparts an earthy essence to the finished dish. Free range chickens (called djaj beldi in Morocco) are more highly regarded than factory-raised hens but plan ahead as they do take more time to cook.

Although well-seasoned, this particular tagine is not spicy. You can increase the quantity of spices or add a chili pepper or two for a zestier presentation, but try not to overshadow the prized flavor of a free range bird. The onions, some of which caramelize during cooking, will add a subtle sweetness. A little preserved lemon and olives are optional additions.

Try to cook like the average Moroccan by skipping measuring spoons and simply sprinkling the approximate quantity of spices over the chicken before cooking. Exact measuring isn't critical to this dish. Remove the skin if you like, but I prefer to leave it intact when cooking free-range poultry in a tagine.

Cooking time is for a free range hen. Reduce this time by an hour if using a regular chicken.

1 chicken (cut into quarters)
2 large onions (sliced)
3 cloves garlic (pressed or finely chopped)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Optional: 1/2 teaspoon Ras el Hanout
Optional: pinch of saffron threads
1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
Optional: 1/2 preserved lemon (sliced or cut into quarters)
Optional: handful of olives
Garnish: parsley or cilantro

This dish is best prepared in a clay or ceramic tagine. Alternatives are to use a Dutch oven or deep skillet with a lid, but there will be some compromise in flavor.

Gather the ingredients.
Place half of the onion slices and the pressed garlic in the bottom of a tagine. Arrange the chicken, skin-side up, on top of the onions.
With your fingers, sprinkle the spices over the chicken. Add the olive oil, allowing some of it to drizzle over the chicken, and then add the water around the chicken. Arrange the remaining onion rings on top of the chicken.
Cover the tagine and place it over medium-low heat; use a diffuser if cooking the tagine on a heat source other than gas. Allow the tagine to heat slowly to a simmer, and then reduce the heat to the lowest temperature necessary to maintain the simmer.
Cook the chicken without turning until very tender, up to two hours for a regular chicken or three hours for a free range chicken. Test by seeing if you can easily pinch the meat off the bone.
Towards the end of cooking, add the preserved lemon and olives (if using) and check to be sure there is enough liquid to prevent the onions from scorching. Add a bit more water if necessary, keeping in mind that there should be relatively little sauce in the finished tagine; the sauce comprises mostly onions and oils.
Garnish with fresh parsley or cilantro, and serve the chicken directly from the tagine with Moroccan bread for scooping everything up.
Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
513	Calories
34g	Fat
16g	Carbs
36g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	513
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 34g	44%
Saturated Fat 7g	36%
Cholesterol 105mg	35%
Sodium 1011mg	44%
Total Carbohydrate 16g	6%
Dietary Fiber 2g	7%
Protein 36g
Calcium 102mg	8%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.