Chicken Tagine with Olives and Lemon

Skinless chicken thighs cooked with aromatic spices and citrus offer a rich, high-protein Moroccan meal paired with lightly steamed couscous.

Ingredients

Calories next to each ingredient are for that ingredient across the whole recipe (4 servings), not per serving.

• 800 g (1.75 lbs) boneless, skinless chicken thighs · 1152 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1/2 tbsp (10 g) olive oil · 88 kcal in the whole recipe
• 2 medium onions (220 g), finely chopped · 88 kcal in the whole recipe
• 3 cloves garlic (12 g), minced · 18 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger (6 g) · 5 kcal in the whole recipe
• 40 g pitted green olives, rinsed · 58 kcal in the whole recipe
• 2 tbsp (30 g) fresh lemon juice · 7 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1.25 cups (300 g) low-sodium chicken broth · 18 kcal in the whole recipe
• 15 g fresh cilantro, finely chopped · 4 kcal in the whole recipe
• 15 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped · 5 kcal in the whole recipe
• 80 g (about 1/2 cup) dry couscous · 301 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1 tsp ground turmeric, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, pinch of saffron threads in 2 tbsp warm water, 1 tbsp lemon zest, salt, black pepper

Method

1. Season the chicken thighs with salt, black pepper, turmeric, cumin, minced garlic, grated ginger, and half of the chopped cilantro and parsley.

   

2. Heat olive oil in a wide skillet or tagine over medium heat, add onions, and sauté for 5 minutes until softened, then add seasoned chicken and sear for 3 minutes per side.

   

3. Pour in chicken broth, fresh lemon juice, soaked saffron with its water, green olives, and lemon zest; cover and simmer over low heat (around 160°C / 320°F stove level) for 25 minutes.

   

4. Place dry couscous in a bowl, pour 120 ml boiling water over it, cover for 5 minutes, fluff with a fork, and serve hot under the tagine chicken garnished with remaining herbs.

   

A Besly kitchen recipe — portions, macros and step photos by Besly.