Saffron-Braised Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons & Olives
Bone-in chicken pieces braised in a saffron-gilded sauce with briny preserved lemons and plump green olives, creating a dish that is at once bright, earthy, and deeply savory. This is the kind of effortlessly elegant one-pot dinner that fills every room of your home with its irresistible aroma.
Ingredients
- 3.5 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
- 2 preserved lemons, pulp discarded, rind thinly sliced
- 1 cup green olives (Castelvetrano or picholine), pitted
- 1 large yellow onion, grated on a box grater
+ 13 more ingredients
Instructions
Season the chicken pieces generously with salt, ground ginger, cumin, turmeric, and white pepper. Let sit for 15 minutes while you prep the remaining ingredients.
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken pieces skin-side down until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes. Flip and sear another 3 minutes. Remove to a plate.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the grated onion to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and starting to caramelize, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Pour in the chicken stock and bloomed saffron with its liquid. Add the cinnamon stick and stir, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
Nestle the chicken pieces back into the pot, skin-side up. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 30 minutes.
Add the preserved lemon rinds and olives, tucking them around the chicken. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Remove the lid, increase heat to medium, and let the sauce reduce for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Discard the cinnamon stick.
Shower with fresh cilantro and parsley. Serve directly from the pot over steamed couscous or with warm crusty bread to soak up every drop of sauce.
Nutrition Estimate
Per serving • Estimated by Blinner AI