Chicken tagine
طاجين الدجاج
Chicken with preserved lemon and olives — the Moroccan pot people mean when they say tagine.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: طاجين الدجاج.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 55 min
- Rest
- None
- Total
- 1 hr 15 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Mild
- Cost
- Weeknight budget$8–16 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
This is the lemon-olive chicken tagine, not a generic stew in a conical pot. You brown the chicken, cook down onion and spice, then simmer with preserved lemon and green olives until the sauce is silky. A Dutch oven works. The cone is steam management, not magic.
What you'll need
12 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Brown the chicken in oil. Lift out. Cook onion until soft, add garlic and spices.
12 min
Step 2
Return chicken, add water, cover, simmer 35 minutes. Add rinsed preserved lemon and olives for the last 10. Herbs.
40 min
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 551 kcal
- Protein
- 79.7 g
- Carbs
- 11.3 g
- Fat
- 19 g
- Saturated fat
- 3.9 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 3.6 g
- Sodium
- 574 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- No major allergens flagged in the structured ingredients.
- Gluten-free
- Dairy-free
- Nut-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 10 November.
Substitutions
Preserved lemon → Fresh lemon zest plus a pinch of salt
Brighter, not fermented. An emergency.
Tips
- Rinse the lemon; the brine is aggressive.
- A handful of potatoes in the pot is a house extra.
History & culture
A guest pot and a Friday plate. Bread, not always couscous, to wipe the sauce.
Tagine is a pot and a family of dishes. Preserved lemon and olive is the one that travelled on menus.
Traditional
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Chicken tagine take?
1 hr 15 min all in — 20 min prep, 55 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 4 pots. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
Mild.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
Weeknight budget — about $8–16 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
5 more questionsFewer questions
What equipment do I need?
Dutch oven.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list a salt amount. We will not invent one.
What can I use instead?
Preserved lemon → Fresh lemon zest plus a pinch of salt. Brighter, not fermented. An emergency.
Any tips from this recipe?
Rinse the lemon; the brine is aggressive. A handful of potatoes in the pot is a house extra.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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