Moroccan Chicken Tagine with Potatoes and Olives Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken, skin removed and cut into pieces
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chicken bouillon, optional
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled, optional
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, or cilantro
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 3 to 4 large potatoes
• 1 to 2 handfuls red olives
• 1 preserved lemon, quartered and seeds removed, optional

Preparation

1. 1Steps to Make It
2. 2In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, combine the chicken, onion, garlic, spices, parsley, and oil. Cook, covered, over medium heat, without adding water, for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is almost done. Stir occasionally to turn the pieces of chicken, and watch the heat so that the chicken doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot and burn.
3. 3Peel and quarter the potatoes. Add them to the pot, along with the olives, preserved lemon, and enough water to almost cover the potatoes. Bring the liquids to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender and the sauce is quite thick.
4. 4Conventional Pot Method
5. 5Traditional Tagine Method
6. 6Slice the onion instead of chopping it, and spread the onion slices on the bottom of a large tagine. Peel the potatoes and thinly slice them and layer them on top of the onions.(Or, you can cut the potatoes into wedges, and arrange them around the chicken after completing the next step.)
7. 7In a large bowl, combine the chicken, garlic, spices, and parsley. Add the chicken to the tagine Swirl 1/2 cup of water in the bowl to mix it with the spices, and add this water to the tagine. Pour the olive oil over all, and distribute the olives (and preserved lemon, if using) over the chicken and potatoes.
8. 8Cover the tagine and place it on a diffuser over medium-low to medium heat. Allow the tagine ample time to reach a simmer, and then reduce the heat to the lowest temperature necessary to maintain the simmer.
9. 9Interrupt the cooking after 1 hour and 15 minutes to check on the level of liquids. If you feel a little more water is needed, add it to the tagine, keeping in mind that the final sauce should be thick and not watery.
10. 10Continue cooking the tagine, covered, for another 30 minutes or more, until the chicken and potatoes are very tender. Let the tagine rest off the heat for about 10 minutes before serving.