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    Home / Dinner / Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Olives

    Chicken Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Olives

    Chicken braised low and slow with saffron, ginger, and preserved lemon until it falls apart, finished with briny green olives.

    ⏱ 20 minPrep time
    🔥 1 hr 15 minCook time
    🍽 4Servings
    🏷 DinnerCategory
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    Ask a Moroccan which dish means home and this is usually the answer. Chicken simmers gently with grated onion, saffron, and ginger until it is spoon-tender, while preserved lemon brings a bright, salty tang that fresh citrus simply cannot imitate. It is the classic of family lunches and Friday gatherings, and every household guards its own small variation, usually over how much lemon and how long to let it cook.

    Slow-cooked chicken with a citrus glow

    The sauce turns glossy and golden as the preserved lemon mellows into something almost sweet, and plump green olives cut through the richness with a briny snap. The meat falls off the bone at the touch of a fork, and the last of the sauce is best chased with warm bread. Serve it straight from the pot so the sauce pools around the chicken, and let everyone help themselves.

    Craving more? Explore all Moroccan Kitchen recipes.

    Thinking of a Moroccan dinner night? This dish fits the complete Moroccan dinner night menu. The spices here are part of a bigger story — our spice blends of the world guide.

    Moroccan recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a heavy pot or tagine over medium heat and brown the chicken on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove and set aside.
    2. Add the grated onions, garlic, ginger, turmeric, and saffron to the pot and cook, stirring, until the onions soften, about 5 minutes.
    3. Return the chicken to the pot and add the water, cilantro, and half the parsley. Cover and simmer gently over low heat for 45 minutes.
    4. Add the preserved lemon quarters, pushing them into the sauce, and cook 20 minutes more, until the chicken is very tender.
    5. Stir in the olives and the remaining parsley and cook 10 minutes, until the olives are warmed through.
    6. Taste and adjust the salt, keeping in mind that the preserved lemon is salty. Serve hot from the tagine with crusty bread.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Quarter the preserved lemon and rinse it briefly if it tastes very salty. Add the olives in the last 15 minutes so they stay plump instead of turning mushy.

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    Recipe details

    Prep20 min
    Cook1 hr 15 min
    Servings4
    CategoryDinner
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

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