You could say that Moroccan Chicken with Lemon and Olives is one of the national dishes of Morocco. This can be made with Preserved lemons, or my version, with a regular lemon and a Meyer lemon. Preserved lemons is not something you usually have in your pantry, so I made it without. I will be posting a recipe for Preserved Lemons, in the near future. Moroccan Chicken with Lemons and Olives, can be made with a whole chicken, as seen in this recipe, or a mixture of bone-in breasts, legs or thighs. I suggest serving this with rice, and if you like, a yogurt sauce on the side. Remember to let those eating know, that the olives have pits.
The review from my 10 year old daughter, “this is the best chicken I’ve ever eaten”. Give it a try, and let me know what you think.
Rinse and pat dry your chicken.
Remove the pulp from 1 regular lemon and 1 Meyer lemon, making sure to remove the seeds.
Add pulp to a mixing bowl.
Add ½ teaspoon of ground turmeric,
and 1 teaspoon ground ginger to the lemon pulp along with…….
3 tablespoons of finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, 3 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro, 2 cloves of minced garlic…..
and a generous pinch of Saffron.
Add 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of water…..
along with salt, white pepper and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Blend well.
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.
You will need 1 tablespoon of clarified butter, also known a Ghee.
Add 1 tablespoon of Ghee and 1 cup of water to the chicken. 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.
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.
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.
Serve with rice. Enjoy!
| Moroccan Chicken With Lemons and Olives | Print |
- 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
- Rinse and pat dry your chicken.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Serve with rice.
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