With this Jamie Oliver Chicken Tagine, you can enjoy Moroccan flavors on a weeknight! Ground turmeric, ground cumin, ginger, and ground coriander add warmth. For a balanced sweetness, add honey, chopped carrots, and prunes. Serve with fluffy couscous for a hearty meal that will stick to your ribs!
For a simple yet deeply flavored stew, all you need is gentle heat and the natural juices from the onions and chicken.
When the vessel is covered during cooking, the moisture trapped inside creates the dish’s juices.
The flavors and textures added by figs, pistachios, and spices make this dish an appealing combination
What Nationality Is A Chicken Tagine?
This delectable dish is truly a Berber dish, despite the fact that it is often linked with Morocco. Berbers are a North African ethnic group who live in Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, and other nations.
Soup is soupy; stew is thicker but may still require serving in a bowl. Then there’s tagine, which, although being a stew, can be served on a dish without spilling.
Many people make the mistake of using too much liquid in this recipe. Tagine essentially steams and browns on its own, giving it a delicious caramelized flavor. The form of the tagine cover allows escaping steam to condense and trickle back into the stew, which is a benefit of having a real tagine.
Ingredients That You’ll Need:
Chicken: You can either use the whole chicken cut into pieces or the leg quarters.
Salt and Pepper: These pantry staples are a must. The olives and preserved lemons have quite a bit of salt already. If you think they need more, taste them first.
Marinade Seasonings: Ginger, garlic, cumin, and smoked paprika make this Jamie Oliver recipe so flavorful. I already know you love the intense flavor.
Oil: Olive oil is my favorite oil, especially for this mouthwatering dish. It provides a more authentic taste to the dish.
Tagine Seasonings: Onions, garlic, ginger, coriander, paprika, cumin, bay leaves, and cayenne pepper add to the dish’s authentic Moroccan flavor. You can adjust the heat to your liking.
Green Olives: salty as they come! We all have our favorites, black or green. Picking olives is a good idea. A broken tooth isn’t fun to deal with at the dentist.
Apricots: This might surprise you, but it does add a depth of flavor and a subtle sweetness to the dish. Instead of raisins, some recipes use apricots, but I prefer the taste of apricots in this Jamie Oliver recipe. I usually use dried apricots, but you can also use fresh apricots.
Chickpeas: Also called garbanzo beans, they are filling and nutritious. I can stretch the stew with extra chickpeas if unexpected guests arrive and still have a great time.
Chicken Broth: Just enough to steam the chicken tagine without making it mushy and watery. It also serves as a deglazing agent.
Lemons: The original recipe calls for preserved lemons. However, who has preserved lemons in the pantry? I didn’t use them, but I suppose you could. Among other seasonings, you can find them in Middle Eastern stores or online.
Parsley: Great for adding flavor and nutrition. Did you know parsley helps you digest your food? Interesting!
Alternative Ingredients:
Tagine: If you don’t have a tagine, you can use a braiser or Dutch oven. You can even turn this into a stew if you use a large heavy-bottomed stockpot. I won’t tell. This dish is all about the spices.
You can also use a slow cooker: First, brown the chicken and saute the onions. Place the onions, remaining ingredients, and chicken in the bottom of a slow cooker. Cook on low for eight hours or on high for four hours. Just before serving, squeeze the lemon over.
Olives and lemons: I enjoy experimenting with different flavors. These amounts are suggestions. Feel free to add more olives if you prefer. You can also squeeze in a little fresh squeezed lemon juice at the end if you don’t like a strong lemony flavor.
Apricots: If you don’t want to use apricots, add a teaspoon of honey instead. You can also use other dried fruit, such as raisins or dried figs.
Add salt and pepper to the chicken thighs and place in a large bowl. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, and paprika next.
Mix spices with a spoon or hands until chicken is well coated. Refrigerate until ready to use or marinate for up to 24 hours.
Preparing the Chicken Tagine:
When ready to cook, heat a skillet or large saucepan with about 2 tablespoons of oil, and brown the chicken for about 3-5 minutes until golden brown. Remove the chicken from the pan and set it aside. Drain the excess oil from the skillet. (If you want to bake it in the oven, use an oven-proof skillet.)
Stir in onions, garlic, ginger, coriander, smoked paprika, cumin, bay leaves, and salt to taste. Stir for about 3-4 minutes for the flavors to blend and the onions to wilt.
Stir in the chickpeas and apricots. Add the chicken stock or water, then the olives. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, being careful not to use too much salt.
Add the chicken and sliced lemons to the pan as well as the juice accumulated from the chicken.
What to Serve with Jamie Oliver Chicken Tagine?
When people think of Moroccan food, couscous comes to mind. Although that is not a typical side of chicken tagine, don’t let that discourage you.
However, here’s what you can serve with your Jamie Oliver Chicken Tagine:
Pita
Mexican Street Corn Salad
Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Red Potato Salad
Baked Potatoes
Potato Salad Without Mayo
Bierocks
Orzo Salad
Turkey Meatloaf
Tomato Salad
Cheeseburger Sliders
How To Store Jamie Oliver Chicken Tagine?
In The Fridge: Place your Jamie Oliver chicken tagine leftovers in an airtight container after they have been cooled to room temperature, then place in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
In The Freezer: To freeze this dish allow it to cool completely, then pop it in a freezer-proof container. It will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge then reheats in a suitable dish in the microwave until piping hot throughout, stirring at least once.
How To Reheat Jamie Oliver Chicken Tagine?
In The Oven:
Warm the Jamie Oliver Chicken Tagine in a preheated oven for 10 minutes to reheat.
Remove the foil and bake for another 5 minutes, or until the edges are bubbling.
Cover the leftover Jamie Oliver Chicken Tagine with a cover (preferably not metallic) and tilt it askew to circulate the heat.
Check the dish after 90 seconds in the microwave with leftover Jamie Oliver Chicken Tagine.
Check to check if the pieces have heated all the way through.
Microwave for 90 seconds at a time until you’re pleased.
In The Air Fryer:
In the air fryer, reheat the Jamie Oliver Chicken Tagine.
Cook for 2-3 minutes at 400 degrees until hot.
Recipe Tips
Don’t go overboard with the salt. The olives are pretty salty, so you may not need much more salt. I’d do a taste test first, especially if I used preserved lemons.
Marinating the chicken is a crucial step. Your taste buds will thank you. It would be best to marinate the meat the night before.
Don’t add more liquid to this Jamie Oliver recipe just because it seems dry. Unless, of course, the bottom is completely dry and starting to stick.
It is easier to marinate and fit the chicken in the pot if the pieces are cut into serving-size pieces.
The nutritional information in this Jamie Olivier recipe is an estimate and may vary significantly depending on the ingredients used.
Garden Courte is a blog written by [James Marcus], a passionate gardener and writer. She has been gardening for over 20 years and has a deep understanding of plants and how to care for them. In her blog, she shares her knowledge and experience with others, providing tips and advice on gardening, plant care, and more.