Moroccan Chicken Tagine Recipe

I can’t have a blog about Morocco and not share with you my family‘s Moroccan chicken tagine recipe. Every week I get many requests asking about this worldwide famous dish. So here I am.

If you’ve never cooked a chicken tagine the Moroccan way, prepare yourself to have a culinary revelation in your kitchen. The steps are easy, the ingredients are simple and you will be amazed at the deliciousness you will be able to create.

Even as a Moroccan native who grew up eating this dish multiple times a week, Moroccan tagines are definitely on my favorite dishes’ list. I get hungry each time I think about them. They are delicious, nutritious, balanced and so comforting.

This recipe is so easy and delicious that it’s one of the most popular recipes on Moroccanzest, becoming part of our highly requested Moroccan Recipe Cards.

How to Make Moroccan Chicken Tagine?

To make Moroccan chicken tagine, you will need some chicken (breast, thighs, or any other part), vegetables of your choice, olive oil, and fresh spices and aromatics. The ingredients are very basic and the good part, you probably already have them in your fridge.

In Morocco, the most common vegetables used in chicken tagines are potatoes, green peas, carrots, cauliflower, green peppers, and zucchini. You can even skip the chicken to have a 100% vegan tagine.

Honestly, most of the time, I make my Moroccan chicken tagine with whatever vegetable leftovers I have. Sometimes it can be a mix of four or five vegetables, and the result is a heavenly mix of flavors.

In Morocco, we cook the Moroccan chicken tagine in a traditional clay pot, also called tagine. This tagine clay pot helps slow cook the ingredients, concentrating the flavors and bringing the taste to a new level.

If you don’t have your clay pot yet, you can still cook your chicken tagine dish in a saucepan or deep frying pan.

When cooking in your saucepan or frying pan, check regularly and make sure the ingredients don’t stick to the bottom of your pan. You can also use a heat diffuser to diffuse the heat equally and avoid burning.

This recipe is also HEAVENLY when you don’t own a traditional tagine pot. However, if you want to bring your talents to a new level, this tagine cookbook has all Morocco secret recipes and secret tips to make mindblowing Moroccan recipes in Morocco traditional tagine pots.

Print Recipe

Moroccan Chicken Tagine Recipe (Authentic & Easy)

This Moroccan Chicken tagine recipe has been in my family for generations. Extremely easy to make and full of flavors. You will love it!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time1 hr

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Servings: 4

Calories: 408kcal

Author: Safa, moroccanzest

Cost: $3

Equipment

• Deep pan with lid
• Heat diffuser to avoid burning your tagine

Ingredients

• 4 medium chicken drumsticks
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ½ pound carrots, peeled and sliced
• ¼ cup preserved lemon, 100% natural deseeded and cut in fine slices
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp (rounded) chopped parsley
• 1 tsp (rounded) chopped coriander
• ¼ cup red olives optional, but they add an amazing flavor!
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 4 to 6 cups water adjust depending on evaporation

Spices

• 1 tsp ginger powder
• ½ tsp pepper powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 pinch cinnamon powder
• ½ tsp salt adjust according to your preferences

Instructions

• Prepare your ingredients. Chop the vegetables and press the garlic.
• Place the heat diffuser on your stove and place your Deep pan on top of it. Make sure everything is stable before you start cooking.
• In the pan, add the chopped onion, oil, pressed garlic, spices, chicken drumsticks, and ½ cup of water. Mix until the drumsticks are entirely covered with the sauce.
• Cover your pan and let everything gently boil for 10 minutes on low heat. Stir from time to time.
• Pour 3-4 cups of water or until your chicken is covered with the sauce.
• Cover the cooking pot and let cook on low to medium heat until the drumsticks are almost ready. This might take from 30 to 40 minutes, depending on your chicken drumsticks. Check regularly and add a little of water if sauce evaporates.
• When the chicken is almost done, add the frozen peas, sliced carrots preserved lemons and half the quantity of parsley and coriander. Cover again and let cook until everything is all tender and well cooked. This can take between 20 to 30 minutes. Check regularly and add water whenever needed.
• Once everything is well cooked and if there is a lot of sauce, uncover your pot and let evaporate for a few minutes. The sauce should be thick, not watery.
• To serve your dish, gently position the chicken drumsticks and vegetables in the center of your plate and pour a little of the sauce on top.
• Decorate with marinated olives and some fresh parsley, and coriander.
• Serve hot or tepid, with fresh bread.

Notes

Moroccan chicken tagine is best savored with french bread (crispy baguettes) or homemade bread. If both options are not available/possible for you, you can serve your tagine with toasted white bread (choose a non-sweet one) or rice.

Nutrition

Calories: 408kcal

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