Moroccan Chicken With Lemons and Olives
Cuisine: Moroccan
Author: Julie
Prep time: 12 mins
Cook time: 93 mins
Total time: 1 hour 45 mins
Ingredients
  • 1 whole chicken
  • 2 medium red onions
  • fresh pulp of 1 lemon and 1 Meyer lemon
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
  • 3 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • 2 medium red onions, chopped
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • 1 pinch Saffron threads
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1½ Tbsp Ghee or clarified butter
  • 1 cup green olives with pits
  • Salt and white pepper
  • 2 Tbsp water
Method
  1. Rinse and pat dry your chicken.
  2. Remove the pulp from 1 regular lemon & 1 Meyer lemon, making sure to remove the seeds. Add the pulp and any juice, to a mixing bowl, along with a ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric, 1 teaspoon of ground ginger, 3 Tbsp of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, 3 Tbsp of finely chopped cilantro, 2 cloves of minced garlic, a generous pinch of Saffron. Add 2 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice and 2 Tbsp of water. Mix well, along with 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Season with salt and white pepper.
  3. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in a large pot or a tagine. Cover and rub the chicken with the mixture, making sure to get some under the skin. Add 2 medium sized chopped red onions around the chicken.
  4. Add 1 tablespoon of Ghee to the top of the chicken and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook for 20 minutes over medium heat. After 20 minutes, turn the chicken breast-side down and cook on low for another 20 minutes. Add 1 cup of water and cover loosely. Cook until the chicken is tender, about 45 minutes.
  5. Place chicken on baking sheet. Rub chicken with ½ tablespoon of clarified butter. Place in a 350° F. preheated oven, and bake until golden, about 8 minutes.
  6. While your chicken is baking, add 1 cup of green olives to the sauce, and cook over medium heat, until the sauce thickens a bit, and is no longer watery. Remove chicken from oven, transfer to a serving dish breast-side up, and spoon the sauce and olives on and around the chicken.
  7. Serve with rice.
Notes
Enjoy!
Recipe by Gourmetcentric at https://gourmetcentric.com/2016/05/moroccan-chicken-lemons-olives/