Chicken Moroccan Tagine ? well you should tast it !

To me, preserved lemons, now more widely available, are a non-negotiable ingredient—they add a distinctive brightness that makes the dish sing. Copious amounts of savory olives, onions and garlic provide the perfect counterbalance to the sweetness of the fruit, while fresh herbs are more than just garnish—they deliver a bright, refreshing note to the tagine.

Another standout element of this dish is the caramelized apricots. While you could skip caramelizing the apricots and toss them in as-is, trust me, you don’t want to miss this step. Cooking them down with honey, water, and a cinnamon stick until they’re glazed and sticky-sweet adds a depth of flavor that elevates the entire dish.

The beauty of this recipe is that most of the cooking time is hands-off. While the tagine simmers away, you can whip up some fluffy couscous or warm a few flatbreads to serve alongside. Don’t hesitate to give this one a try, you’re going to love it.

What Is A Tagine?

A tagine is both a traditional North African cooking vessel and the name of the slow-cooked dishes prepared in it. The tagine pot is uniquely designed with a wide, shallow base and a cone-shaped lid that helps trap and circulate steam, allowing food to cook gently and retain moisture. This design creates tender, flavorful meals with minimal liquid.

Tagine dishes typically combine meat, poultry, or vegetables with a blend of Moroccan spices, fruits, and nuts, resulting in a rich and aromatic stew. Though traditionally made of clay or ceramic, tagines are also available in modern materials for use on stovetops and ovens.

Do I Need A Tagine To Make This Recipe?

No, you absolutely don’t need a tagine pot to make a chicken tagine. While the traditional cone-shaped tagine pot enhances flavor by trapping steam and allowing the dish to cook gently, you can achieve similar results using a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven, a large skillet with a lid, or any oven-safe pot with a tight-fitting lid.

The key is to maintain low, steady heat and ensure the ingredients stay moist during cooking. A tagine pot is a lovely addition if you enjoy making North African dishes regularly, but it’s not essential for delicious results.

Note: If you choose to use a tagine to make this recipe, make sure you place a heat diffuser under it so it doesn’t crack with the heat.

Key Ingredient Notes

Creating an authentic chicken tagine starts with selecting the right ingredients. This is just an overview of the ingredients you need. For a complete list of ingredients and measurements, scroll down to the recipe card.

• Chicken: Bone-in, skinless chicken thighs are ideal for this dish as they stay juicy and flavorful during slow cooking. You can leave the skin on if you wish, but it will get very soft since the stew is cooked with a lid.
• Preserved Lemons: These tangy, salty lemons are a cornerstone of Moroccan cuisine, adding brightness and depth to the tagine. Do your best not to omit them but if you can’t find preserved lemons, fresh lemon juice and lemon zest will make a decent substitute.
• Onions and Garlic: These aromatics create a savory base for the dish and complement the sweetness of the fruit. You want at least 2 cups of sliced onion as they provide a lot of flavor and liquid to the dish.
• Spices: A harmonious blend of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, and paprika delivers the signature warmth and complexity of Moroccan cooking.
• Harissa paste (optional): Harissa is a North African chili pepper paste that’s loaded with delicious spices and smoky flavor. It adds another dimension of flavor to this dish but it is not a common or essential ingredient in chicken tangines so feel free to leave it out. I only add it if I already have an open jar in the fridge (which is almost always because I love it). Note that harissa can vary in heat level — usually available in mild or spicy — so if yours is spicy, add only 1 tablespoon. 
• Saffron (optional): I love adding a few threads of saffron to this chicken tagine. It lends a golden hue and an inimitable flavor to the braise. That said, I often omit it and the tagine is just as gorgeous and delicious.
• Dried apricots: Apricots or prunes add a touch of natural sweetness that balances the savory elements. Many tagine recipes call for caramelizing the apricots (or any dried fruit) before adding them to the tagine. It is an extra, optional step but you do this while the chicken is cooking and all you need to do is cook the apricots with water, honey and a cinnamon stick until they’re jammy and extra delicious. Super worth it. If you wish to skip this step, simply add the apricots as-is to the pot.
• Olives: Green or purple olives add a salty, briny note to the dish.
• Fresh Herbs: Cilantro and parsley provide a vibrant, fresh finish.
• Low-sodium chicken stock or water: Helps create a rich, flavorful sauce to infuse the chicken and vegetables. If you wish, you can use water—I often do.
• Toasted blanched almonds (optional): While I love the flavor and crunch from the toasted almonds, feel free to omit them if allergies are a concern.

Substitutes and Variations

Don’t have all the ingredients on hand? No problem! Here are some substitutions and ways to customize this classic Moroccan dish:

• Chicken —> Swap thighs for drumsticks or use a mix like I do. You can also use a whole chicken cut into pieces. Use lamb or beef for a different spin, just be sure you allow for almost double the cooking time.
• Dried Fruits —> Substitute apricots with golden raisins, dates, or prunes for a different flavor profile.
• Spices —> If you’re missing one or two spices, a premade ras el hanout spice blend works well.
• Add vegetables —> If you have room in your pan, feel free to add some vegetables. Carrots, cauliflower, zucchini, or chickpeas would all be great for this tagine.
• Make it a vegan tagine —> A vegetarian Moroccan tagine is delicious! Instead of the chicken, use 1 can drained and rinsed chickpeas, cubed sweet potatoes, carrots, and/or butternut squash. Cauliflower, artichokes, or peas (added at the end) would also be wonderful here!
• Serve topped with toasted nuts —> For a crunch factor, add some chopped toasted almonds, pistachios or pine nuts.

How To Prepare Preserved Lemons For This Chicken Tagine

For this recipe, we are using the pulp of the preserved lemons as well as the skin. Some preserved lemons are quite large, and some are very small. Mine were very small so I used two. Here’s how to prepare them:

1. Use a small sharp knife to quarter the preserved lemon.
2. Using the tip of the knife, separate the pulp from the skin. Remove the seeds and give the pulp a rough chop.
3. Thinly slice the skin.

How To Cook Chicken Tagine

Here’s a simplified overview of the steps to create your chicken tagine. For the detailed instructions, scroll down to the recipe card.

Marinate the Chicken: In a small bowl, mix the dried spices. In a medium bowl, combine half of the spice mix along with the preserved lemon pulp, chopped fresh herbs, harissa (if using), and olive oil. Add the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Set aside and let marinate while you chop and cook the aromatics.

Sauté Aromatics: Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the garlic along with remaining spice mix. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. 

Simmer the Chicken: Pour in the broth or water and place the chicken pieces, meat-side down, on top of the onion mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, flip the chicken, and continue to cook, covered, for 20 more minutes.

Caramelize the Apricots (Optional): Cook dried apricots with honey, cinnamon, and water until sticky and caramelized.

Add remaining ingredients to the chicken: Remove the lid and add the apricot mixture, olives and preserved lemon slices. Cover again, and simmer for another 10 minutes until the chicken is fork-tender and the flavors meld.

Helpful Tips

• Toast Your Spices: Lightly toasting the spices before adding liquid enhances their flavor and aroma.
• Don’t Rush: The key to a rich, flavorful tagine is slow cooking, allowing the ingredients to meld beautifully.
• Use High-Quality Ingredients: Fresh spices, good-quality chicken, and preserved lemons make a huge difference.
• Do your best not to omit the preserved lemons. I know they can be a little hard to find but preserved lemons are a key ingredient in chicken tagine because they add a unique tangy, salty, and slightly fermented flavor that enhances the overall dish. Their intense citrusy brightness cuts through the richness of the chicken and spices, creating a beautifully balanced flavor profile. The soft rind of preserved lemons also adds texture and depth, making the dish feel authentic and vibrant. While fresh lemons can be used as a substitute, they lack the complexity and umami-like quality that preserved lemons bring to the recipe.
• What if I hate olives? I would still add them because a) you don’t have to eat them but they will add another dimension of flavor to the dish, and b) when olives have been cooked in a dish with other strong flavors, they taste different so you might just like them.
• Don’t be tempted to add more liquid than the recipe calls for. Adding too much liquid will dull the flavors of the tagine. The chicken and onions will release a lot of liquid so adding only 1 cup of water or stock, plus the water from the steeped saffron, will give you plenty of sauce.

Serving Suggestions

In Morocco, tagines are served with bread (not couscous) which is used as a utensil to scoop up the tagine for eating. Khobz — a round, flatbread with a thick crust that is baked in an oven — is what is served in Morocco. I can’t find this bread easily where I live so I typically serve it with a flatbread such as naan or pita.

Though not traditional, we do enjoy our tagine with a side of riced cauliflower, couscous, basmati rice, or quinoa, to make it a more filling, well-rounded meal. Boiled baby potatoes, or roasted potato wedges would also be delicious with this tagine.

Or make a beautiful Moroccan inspired dinner and pair the chicken tagine with a Moroccan salad, a hummus platter, cheese, olives, nuts, and wine — yum!

Make-Ahead, Storage And Reheating Tips

• Make-ahead: Like most stew-like dishes, chicken tagine is an excellent dish to make ahead of time because the flavors will have time to meld. Prepare the entire dish ahead and refrigerate, tightly covered for up to 3 days. Alternatively, get ahead with prep work by refrigerating the marinated chicken for up to 24 hours.

• Store in the refrigerator: Leftover chicken tagine can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freeze leftovers: Chicken tagine freezes well. Store the cooled leftovers in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
• Reheat: For best results, reheat chicken tagine in a skillet over medium heat. You may need to add some water if the stew seems a bit dry. If the tagine was previously frozen, add a few dashes of the same spices you used to make it to liven it up again.

Chicken Tagine

This Chicken Tagine, filled with warm fragrant spices, tender chicken, and a luscious sauce is incredibly easy to execute and yields the deep, rich flavors that are the hallmark of Moroccan tagines. The best part? You don’t need a traditional tagine pot to enjoy this dish—a simple Dutch oven or skillet works just fine! Whether you’re new to North African cuisine or a seasoned home chef, this guide will walk you through creating a chicken tagine bursting with bold flavors.

Prep Time20minutes mins

Cook Time50minutes mins

Total Time1hour hr 10minutes mins

Servings 4 to 6

Ingredients  1x2x3x

• 1 to 2 preserved lemons (see notes)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons Harissa paste (optional – see notes)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 8 bone-in, chicken thighs, leg quarters, drumsticks or a mix — skin removed
• 1 large yellow onion, halved, then sliced 1/4 inch thick (should have about 2 cups)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup water or chicken broth
• pinch of saffron threads bloomed with 1/3 cup warm water (optional – see notes below)
• 1 cup green olives, or a mix of green and black

Caramelized Apricots (optional)

• 2 tablespoons mild honey
• 1 cup water
• 1 3-inch cinnamon stick
• 1 cup dried Turkish apricots

Instructi0ns 

• Quarter and deseed the preserved lemon. Remove the pulp from lemon quarters, give it a rough chop and add it to a large bowl. Thinly slice the peel from the preserved lemon(s) and set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon, ginger, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, salt and pepper. Add half of the spice mixture to the bowl with the preserved lemon pulp, along with the harissa (if using), chopped cilantro, chopped parsley and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the chicken pieces and toss to thoroughly coat. Set aside and let marinate while you chop and cook the aromatics.
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and add the garlic along with remaining spice mix. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds, or so.
• Stir in the water (or broth) and bloomed saffron (if using) and place the chicken pieces, meat side down, on top of the onion mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Flip the chicken, reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook, covered, for 20 more minutes.
• Meanwhile, caramelize dried apricots (optional): In a medium saucepan, bring the honey, water, cinnamon stick, and apricots to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, and let cook, uncovered, until the apricots are very tender, about 20 minutes. Once the apricots are tender, increase the heat and simmer to reduce the liquid to a relatively thick glaze, about 5 minutes more (if the liquid gets low during this stage, add a couple tablespoons of water). Remove and discard the cinnamon stick.
• To the chicken, add the caramelized apricots, olives and preserved lemon slices. Cover again, and cook for another 10 to 15 minutes or until chicken is fork-tender. Garnish chicken with extra chopped herbs and serve warm with flatbread or over a scoop of couscous.

Notes :

Preserved lemons: I recommend doing your best not to omit them. Preserved lemons are a key ingredient in chicken tagine because they add a unique tangy, salty, and slightly fermented flavor that enhances the overall dish. For this recipe, we are using the pulp of the preserved lemons as well as the skin. Some preserved lemons are quite large, and some are very small. Mine were very small so I used two. If you absolutely can’t find them, you can use the lemon zest and juice of 1 lemon which can be added when you add the olives. You will also need to add at least 1 teaspoon more salt since the preserved lemons are quite salty and provide most of the sodium for this dish. 

Why bone-in, skin-off chicken? Most traditional Moroccan tagines use bone-in chicken but remove the skin. Bone-in chicken retains moisture better during the slow-cooking process, ensuring the meat stays tender and juicy instead of drying out. Because we aren’t browning the chicken skin to render the fat, removing the skin prevents excess grease in the sauce, keeping it light while still maintaining the richness from the spices and aromatics. If you would like to keep the skin on, brown the chicken, skin side down for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the chicken and use some of the rendered fat to cook the onions and garlic. 

Harissa paste: Harissa is a North African chili pepper paste that’s loaded with delicious spices and smoky flavor. It adds another dimension of flavor to this dish but it is not a common or essential ingredient in chicken tangines so feel free to leave it out. I only add it if I already have an open jar in the fridge (which is almost always because I love it). Note that harissa can vary in heat level — usually available in mild or spicy — so if yours is spicy, add only 1 tablespoon. 

Caramelized apricots: This extra step doesn’t take much effort at all and makes the apricots super tender, glaze-y and delicious. If you wish to skip this step, add the apricots to the pan at the same time as the chicken. 

Saffron: I love adding a few threads of saffron to this chicken tagine. It lends a golden hue and an inimitable flavor to the braise. That said, I often omit it and the tagine is just as gorgeous and delicious. If omitting, add 1/3 cup of water or stock along with the other cup of liquid.