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Moroccan · Maghrebi

Moroccan chicken tagine with olives and lemon

Non-vegetarian

طاجين الدجاج بالزيتون · tajine djaj bil zitoun

Chicken braised slowly with grated onion, ginger, turmeric and saffron until the sauce turns silky, finished with green olives and preserved lemon. A classic of the Moroccan home and festive table.

Moroccan chicken tagine with olives and lemon is a Moroccan stew from Morocco, ready in about 1 hour 30 minutes and made with chicken pieces, skin-on and green olives. It serves 4 and is rated intermediate to cook.

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Traditional Moroccan tagine with lemons and olives, served outdoors, showcasing vibrant colors and delicious aromas.
Photo: Zak Chapman / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
20 min
Cook
1 h 10 min
Total
1 h 30 min
Serves
4
Level
Intermediate
Calories
718

Ingredients

4 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Rub the chicken with the garlic (opens in a new tab), ginger, turmeric (opens in a new tab), saffron (opens in a new tab), pepper (opens in a new tab), salt and half the oil. Leave for 20 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge.

    • 10 min

    Food safety: Wash hands, boards and knives after handling raw chicken.

  2. Step 2

    Heat the remaining oil in a tagine or heavy casserole over medium heat. Add the chicken, grated onion (opens in a new tab) and herbs and turn for 5 minutes until fragrant.

  3. Step 3

    Add the water, cover and simmer gently, turning the chicken occasionally, until very tender and the onion (opens in a new tab) has melted into the sauce.

    • 50 min
    • low heat

    Food safety: Chicken must reach 74 °C at the bone.

    A curry simmering in a pot
    How it looks · Photo: Bachir Mamud on Pexels

  4. Step 4

    Add the olives, lemon juice (opens in a new tab) and preserved lemon (opens in a new tab). Simmer uncovered until the sauce has reduced and coats the chicken.

    • 12 min
    • medium heat

About this dish

Origin
Morocco · Well documentedAlso popular in Algeria, FranceMore food from Morocco
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Stews & braises · Main courses
Cooking method
Braised, Slow-cooked
Taste
aromatic / warmly spiced, citrusy, salty, savoury
Diet
No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Whole-food focused · Paleo-style · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
One-pot · Make-ahead · Festive & celebration
Cook more with
Chicken pieces, skin-on · Green olives · Onion · Garlic · Ground ginger · Turmeric
Techniques
Simmering · Braising · Reduction

Allergens

None of the 14 major allergens appear in the listed ingredients.

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

718 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 450 g · recipe makes 4

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 27%
  • Carbohydrate 6%
  • Fat 68%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy718 kcal160 kcal
Protein48.1 g10.7 g
Carbohydrate9.9 g2.2 g
Net carbohydrate7 g1.6 g
Sugars2.9 g0.6 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre2.8 g0.6 g
Fat53.7 g11.9 g
Saturated fat13 g2.9 g
Trans fat0.2 g0.1 g
Cholesterol188 mg42 mg
Sodium1350 mg300 mg
Salt equivalent3.4 g0.8 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
660 mg
Calcium
86 mg
Iron
3.5 mg
Magnesium
69 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
139 µg
Vitamin C
18 mg
Vitamin D
0.5 µg
Vitamin B12
0.8 µg
Folate (DFE)
37 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: preserved lemon.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Grating the onion lets it dissolve into a thick, smooth sauce without any thickener.

Common mistakes

  • Adding the olives too early — they turn bitter and over-salt the sauce.

Serve with

  • With Moroccan khobz or other crusty bread to mop the sauce.

Storage

  • Keeps 3 days in the fridge; flavours deepen overnight.

Reheating

  • Reheat gently, covered, until piping hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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