Moroccan Lemon Chicken & Olives
If I could bottle the scent of this Moroccan Lemon Chicken with Olives, I’d wear it as perfume. Seriously. Between the garlic, saffron, preserved lemons, and green olives, the aroma alone is enough to make you feel like you’ve been transported straight to a bustling souk in Marrakech, or, in my case, right back to family tables across North Africa where this dish is pure comfort food.
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Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 4-5 chicken quarters
- 1 onion finely diced
- 5 garlic cloves
- 3 teaspoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
- ½ teaspoon saffron crushed and mixed in 1 tablespoon warm water
- 1 cup green olives
- 1 preserved lemon
- 1 cup chicken stock
- Juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
Prepare ingredients
- Finely dice the onion, chop parsley and cilantro, and chop the preserved lemon into small pieces.
Make marinade
- In a large mixing bowl, combine olive oil, crushed saffron with its soaking water, garlic, parsley, cilantro, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, ginger, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
Marinate chicken
- Add chicken pieces to the bowl, coating well in the marinade. Cover and marinate for at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours for best flavor). If short on time, you can cook immediately.
Assemble dish
- In an oven-safe baking dish, spread a layer of diced onions. Arrange marinated chicken pieces on top. Scatter in the preserved lemon and olives. Pour over the lemon juice and chicken stock.
Bake
- Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 50 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
Broil
- Remove the foil and broil for 6–8 minutes to brown the chicken skin and intensify flavor.
Serve
- Spoon chicken and sauce over couscous or rice. Garnish with extra fresh herbs if desired.