Moroccan Chicken and Chickpea Tagine with Preserved Lemon and Olives

Ingredients

• 1.2kg bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 8 thighs; skin removed if preferred
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 brown onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 20g fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 400g tinned diced tomatoes, check label — tomatoes and juice only, no additives
• 800g tinned chickpeas, two 400g tins, drained and rinsed; check label for no additives
• 250ml water
• 1 preserved lemon, rind only, flesh discarded, finely chopped
• 120g pitted green olives, drained; check for no additives beyond brine and salt
• 1 bunch fresh coriander, roughly chopped, to serve
• 400g whole grain couscous, to serve
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Method

1. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels and season all over with half the salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a large heavy-based pot or wide casserole dish over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken thighs in two batches, skin side down first, for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
2. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the same pot. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes until softened and beginning to turn golden.
3. Add the garlic and grated ginger to the onions and stir for 1 minute. Add the turmeric, cumin, ground coriander, cinnamon, and smoked paprika. Stir constantly for 1 minute until fragrant and the spices coat the onion mixture.
4. Pour in the tinned tomatoes and 250ml water. Stir to combine and scrape up any browned bits from the base of the pot. Add the drained chickpeas, chopped preserved lemon rind, and remaining salt. Stir everything together.
5. Nestle the browned chicken thighs into the sauce, pushing them down so they are mostly submerged. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover with a lid and braise for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender and the sauce has thickened.
6. While the tagine finishes, prepare the couscous. Place the couscous in a large heatproof bowl. Pour 480ml boiling water over it, cover tightly with a plate or wrap, and leave to steam for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and season lightly with salt.
7. Remove the lid from the tagine. Stir in the green olives and taste the sauce, adjusting seasoning if needed. Simmer uncovered for a further 5 minutes to concentrate the sauce slightly.
8. Serve the tagine over couscous and scatter generously with fresh coriander. To portion for meal prep, divide evenly into five containers with couscous in the base and tagine on top.

Batch cooking tip

• The tagine sauce deepens in flavour overnight, making this an ideal cook-ahead meal. Store chicken thighs whole in the sauce to prevent them drying out, and portion couscous separately to avoid it absorbing all the sauce during storage. The tagine (without couscous) also freezes well for up to 3 months.