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Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Nigella Seeds (black Seeds or Sanouj)

Here, however, the same starting tagine gets dressed up with an oft-overlooked spice. Nigella seeds, also known as black seeds (or sanouj in Moroccan Arabic), impart a light oregano-like essence to this classic Moroccan chicken tagine. Saffron, ginger and white pepper lend fragrant seasoning. ​The cooking time is for preparation in a traditional clay or ceramic tagine. The time will be reduced by one hour if cooking in a conventional pot. The meal is traditionally served directly from the tagine or on a communal plate, with each person eating from his own side of the dish. Serve Moroccan bread for scooping up the chicken and sauce.

moderate18 ingredients6 preparation steps
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Ingredients

  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, sliced into rings
  • 1 whole chicken (with or without skin), cut in half or into pieces
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 3 or 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon nigella seeds, toasted lightly and ground
  • 1 tablespoon nigella seeds, toasted lightly and left whole
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 3/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
  • 1 cinnamon stick, optional
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 teaspoon smen, optional
  • Handful fresh cilantro sprigs, tied into a bouquet, for garnish
  • 1/2 preserved lemon, cut into 2 quarters, for garnish
  • Red or violet olives, for garnish

Preparation

  1. 1Steps to Make It
  2. 2Gather the ingredients.
  3. 3Pour the olive oil into the base of a tagine or the bottom of a wide pot or Dutch oven. Distribute the sliced onion over the bottom.
  4. 4In a bowl, toss the chicken with the chopped onion, garlic, ground nigella, whole nigella and spices. Arrange the chicken bone side down in the center of the tagine or pot, and distribute the chopped onions all around.
  5. 5Swirl 1/3 cup of water in the bowl to clean it of the spices, then add the water to the tagine or pot. If using smen, add it to the liquids.
  6. 6Garnish the tagine with the cilantro bouquet, lemon and olives. Follow one of the cooking methods below.