Ingredients

  • 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • ¼ teaspoon saffron threads, pulverized
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 chicken, cut in 8 to 10 pieces
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 medium onions, sliced thin
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 8 kalamata olives, pitted and halved
  • 8 cracked green olives, pitted and halved
  • 1 large or 3 small preserved lemons (sold in specialty food shops)
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

– Mix garlic, saffron, ginger, paprika, cumin and turmeric together. If not using kosher chicken, add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add pepper to taste. Rub chicken with mixture, cover, refrigerate and marinate 3 to 4 hours.

– Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Add chicken, and brown on all sides. Remove to a platter. Add onions to skillet, and cook over medium-low heat about 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer to tagine, if you are using one, or leave in the skillet. Add cinnamon sticks.

-Put chicken on onions. Scatter with olives. Quarter the lemons, remove pulp and cut skin in strips. Scatter over chicken. Mix stock and lemon juice. Pour over chicken.

-Cover tagine or skillet. Place over low heat, and cook about 30 minutes, until chicken is done.

-Scatter parsley on top, and serve.