Recipe-1 › Curries of the world › Moroccan chicken tagine
Morocco’s classic slow-cooked chicken with preserved lemons and olives, named after the cone-lidded clay pot it is cooked in. Like the base recipe it starts with onions and spices, but the spices are ginger, turmeric, saffron and pepper, with no chilli heat.
Same steps, different flavour base MildRecipe-1 is one simple curry recipe in nine steps: fry onions and green chillies, add your vegetables or meat, add chilli powder and turmeric, then water and salt, and boil. With small changes the same nine steps make curries from all over the world.
This page takes those nine steps and shows what to change to make Moroccan chicken tagine. You don’t need to read anything else first: every base step is written out below. The changes are worked out on paper from what is typical for this dish; not yet kitchen-tested. Cooked it? Tell others how it went.
Green: the base recipe step (crossed out = do not use it for this dish)Red: what to do instead for Moroccan chicken tagine
See the full base recipe (with timers and tips) · See all curries on the world map
The amounts change with the number of people; cooking times stay about the same (use a bigger pot for more). Taste as you go: you can always add more chilli or salt, but you cannot take it out.
Main ingredient: 1¼ kg Chicken pieces on the bone (thighs and legs).
Where a step has a red line, do the red line and not the crossed-out green base step. Steps with only green are done just as in the base recipe.
Base step: do not useCut onions and chillies.
Moroccan chicken tagine: do thisGrate or finely chop the onions; leave out the chillies.
Base step: do not useFry in some oil for around 4 minutes on medium-high heat.
Moroccan chicken tagine: do thisCook the onions and some garlic gently in olive oil until soft, not brown.
Base step: do not useCut the vegetable(s) of your choice.
Moroccan chicken tagine: do thisUse the chicken.
Base step: do not useAdd them and fry for around 4 minutes on medium-high heat.
Moroccan chicken tagine: do thisAdd the chicken and turn it in the onions.
Base step: do not useAdd red chilli powder and turmeric.
Moroccan chicken tagine: do thisInstead of chilli powder, add ground ginger, turmeric, saffron and black pepper.
Base step: do not useKeep frying until just before they start browning.
Moroccan chicken tagine: do thisCook gently for a few minutes; do not let it brown.
Base step: do not useAdd some water.
Moroccan chicken tagine: do thisAdd a little water and chopped coriander and parsley, and cover.
Add salt.
Base step: do not useBoil until the gravy is as thick as you like.
Moroccan chicken tagine: do thisSimmer gently for about 45 minutes, then add the preserved lemon and olives and cook 10 minutes more until the sauce is thick.
Serve: With Moroccan bread (khobz) to scoop up the sauce.
For meat and seafood, make sure it is cooked through: chicken until no pink remains inside; mutton, goat and beef need long, slow cooking.
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