Chicken tagine with lemon and olives
Serves 8
This spicy aromatic North African dish is a real crowd-pleaser. Any leftovers will freeze well for another meal. Or halve the quantities for four people.
For best flavour, texture and peace of mind, choose free range chicken.
For the Marinade:
2/3 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon black pepper
Further ingredients:
2kg chicken legs, trimmed of excess skin and fat or 2 free range chickens chopped into peices
4 onions, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 large tomatoes
2 cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
juice of 1 lemon
1 bunch of fresh coriander, chopped
1 cup green olives
4 preserved lemons (preserved in salt), cut into quarters. (Alternatively use the zest and juice of 1 large fresh lemon plus about 1/2 tsp salt)
1) Mix marinade ingredients together and add chicken pieces. Stir to coat meat with marinade. Refrigerate overnight
2) Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Use tongs to remove chicken pieces from marinade and place in the frypan. This may need to be done in two or three batches. Sauté the chicken on each side until golden then remove into a large oven dish with a tight-fitting lid. Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
3) Pour remaining marinade into the frypan, add onions and sauté until softened. Add crushed garlic, chopped tomatoes and ginger and simmer, stirring frequently for 10 minutes over a low heat.
Pour the sauce over the chicken in the oven dish, cover with lid and place in oven. Cook for 20 minutes at a low heat, then add lemon juice, coriander, olives and preserved lemons.
4) Continue cooking until olives are heated through.
Serve with couscous, quinoa or rice.
