Slow-Cooker Chicken Tagine with Olives and Lemon

by Williams-Sonoma Editors

November 4, 2018October 30, 2018

This colorful Moroccan-inspired stew offers a tantalizing combination of spicy, sweet, salty and tangy flavors. Lemon juice and lemon zest stand in for the typical preserved lemons, making it easy to achieve on a busy night. Serve this full-flavored dish over a mound of Israeli or regular couscous or buttered orzo.

Slow-Cooked Chicken Tagine with Olives and Lemon

Ingredients

3 Tbs. all-purpose flour

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

3 ½ lb. (1.75 kg) bone-in chicken breasts and thighs, skinned

⅛ tsp. saffron threads

1 ½ cups (12 fl. oz./375 ml) low-sodium chicken broth

3 Tbs. olive oil

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp. hot paprika

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground coriander

2 cups (10 oz./315 g) pitted green olives, coarsely chopped

¼ cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) fresh lemon juice

2 Tbs. grated lemon zest

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

¼ cup coarsely-chopped prunes

¼ cup coarsely-chopped dried apricots

¼ cup golden raisins

3 Tbs. finely chopped fresh mint

Directions

 

1. On a plate, stir together the flour, 1 tsp. salt and ½ tsp. pepper. Turn the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, coating evenly and shaking off any excess. In a small bowl, crumble the saffron into the broth.

    

2. Pre heat oven to 250°F. In a large, heavy, oven-proof Dutch oven with a lid, on medium-high heat, add the oil and warm until hot. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add the chicken pieces and cook, turning as needed, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

    

3. Pour off all but 3 Tbs. of the fat from the insert and return the insert to medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the paprika, cumin, ginger, cinnamon and coriander and cook, stirring, until the spices are fragrant and evenly coat the onion-garlic mixture, about 1 minute. Pour in the broth-saffron mixture and deglaze the insert, stirring and scraping up the browned bits on the insert bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil.

    

4. Add the chicken, arranging the thighs on the bottom and the breasts on top. Cover and bake for 5 hours. About 1 hour before the chicken is done, uncover and scatter the olives, carrots, dried fruit over the chicken, then sprinkle with the lemon juice and zest. Re-cover and continue to bake until the chicken is tender and opaque throughout.

    

5. Transfer the chicken to plates, spoon the cooking juices and olives over the top and garnish with the mint. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.