Stovetop Moroccan Chicken With Preserved Lemon and Olives

Moroccan Chicken In A Cast Iron Pan
DebbiSmirnoff/Getty Images
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Total: 105 mins
Servings: 4 servings

Chicken with preserved lemons and olives is a classic Moroccan dish. Salty, lemony, and zesty, it’s a favorite of many Moroccans! Saffron is an optional but delicious, fragrant addition.

This recipe is for conventional stovetop preparation in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. The trick to this method is two-fold:

  1. Don't add any water during the cooking.
  2. Reduce the sauce until the onions are a thick mass.

This dish can also be made by cooking in a traditional tagine or slow-roasting in the oven. The last method is useful when serving a large group of people.

Do not substitute fresh lemons for the preserved lemons. Outside of Morocco, you'll find it easy and inexpensive to make your own preserved lemons (allow a month for curing); or look for them in Middle Eastern and halal markets, or buy preserved lemons online.

Although it's not necessary, many cooks allow time for marinating the chicken.

Ingredients

  • 1 chicken whole chicken, skin removed and cut into pieces

  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil, or a mix of vegetable oil and olive oil; or a mix of oil and butter

  • 2 very large white or yellow onions, very thinly sliced

  • 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

  • 2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric 

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads, divided, optional

For the Sauce:

  • 1/2 to 1 teaspoon smen (Moroccan preserved butter), optional

  • 1/4 cup green, red, or mixed olives

  • 1 preserved lemon, quartered, seeds removed

Steps to Make It

Cook the Chicken

  1. Ahead of time if possible, combine the chicken with the onion, garlic, herbs, and spices, including half of the saffron. (Reserve the rest of the saffron for adding to the sauce at a later time.) If time allows, cover and leave the chicken to marinate in the fridge for a few hours or even overnight. Otherwise, proceed to the next step.

  2. When ready to cook, transfer the chicken and onions (scrape every last bit out of your bowl) to a heavy-bottomed pot, deep skillet or Dutch oven. Cover and cook the chicken over medium or medium-low heat, gently stirring and turning the chicken every 15 minutes or so, until the chicken is tender enough to pinch off the bones. (This will take approximately one hour, but longer if using a free range chicken). Keep the heat adjusted so that the chicken doesn't scorch, and only add a little water if you feel you must. Typically the chicken will braise in its own juices.

  3. When the chicken is cooked, carefully transfer it to a plate and cover.

Reduce the Sauce

  1. Continue cooking the onion mixture and sauce over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the liquids evaporate and the onions can be mashed into a blended mass which separates from the oils. If your onions do not appear to be melding, you can give a few pulses with an immersion blender, but do not overprocess.

  2. Add the preserved lemon, olives, the rest of the saffron, and a few tablespoons of water, and simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes. Return the chicken to the pot to heat through, or place under the broiler to brown the skin.

Serve the Chicken

  1. Place the chicken on a serving platter, pour the onion sauce over the top and sides, and garnish the top of the chicken with the quartered lemon and some olives.

  2. For casual meals, consider garnishing the chicken with a handful or two of french fries (patate frite), which may also be offered as a traditional side.

  3. Moroccan tradition is to eat by hand, using crusty Moroccan bread for soaking up the sauce.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
639 Calories
42g Fat
16g Carbs
48g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 639
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 42g 54%
Saturated Fat 8g 40%
Cholesterol 152mg 51%
Sodium 553mg 24%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 3g 10%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 48g
Vitamin C 15mg 76%
Calcium 74mg 6%
Iron 3mg 19%
Potassium 645mg 14%
*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.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)