Name: Chicken tagine with lemons, olives & pomegranate
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: Serves 4-5
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 8 chicken thighs; 1 onion chopped; 2 garlic cloves; 2 tbsp Moroccan spice mix (see below); 1 large or 2 small preserved lemons skin only, finely chopped; 2 large tomatoes chopped; 1 chicken stock cube; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp red wine vinegar; handful olives; 1 small lemon 1/2 very thinly sliced; ½ pomegranate seeds only; 100g feta crumbled; small bunch mint leaves only; couscous to serve; 2 tbsp coriander seeds; 1 tbsp cumin seeds; 1½ tsp fennel seeds; ½ tsp black pepper; ¼ tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; good pinch saffron

Chicken tagine with lemons, olives & pomegranate served in a bowl

2 tbsp olive oil
8 chicken thighs
1 onion
chopped
2 garlic cloves
2 tbsp Moroccan spice mix
(see below)
1 large or 2 small preserved lemons
skin only, finely chopped
2 large tomatoes
chopped
1 chicken stock cube
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
handful olives
1 small lemon
1/2 very thinly sliced
½ pomegranate
seeds only
100g feta
crumbled
small bunch mint
leaves only
couscous
to serve

For the Moroccan spice mix

2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1½ tsp fennel seeds
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
good pinch saffron

Method

step 1
For the Moroccan spice mix, toast the whole spices in a dry frying pan for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Tip into a spice or coffee grinder, or pestle and mortar, and blitz or pound to a powder. Add the ground spices and saffron and combine. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a wide, shallow casserole dish or ovenproof pan. Season the chicken and cook, skin-side down, for 8-10 mins, until crispy. Flip over and cook for another 5 mins. Transfer to a plate. Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3.
step 2
Add the rest of the oil and the onion to the pan. Stir for a few mins, then add the garlic and 2tbsp Moroccan spice mix (the rest of the spice mix can be stored in a jar in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months). Stir, scraping any bits of onions and chicken from the bottom, until the spices smell fragrant. Add the preserved lemon, tomatoes, stock cube, honey, vinegar and 750ml water. Bring to the boil, then place the chicken on top. Cover with a lid or foil and transfer to the oven for 1 hr.
step 3
Uncover, place the olives and lemon slices on top and drizzle the lemons with a little oil. Return to the oven for 20 mins, or until the sauce has reduced a little (you can do this on the hob if you’re short on time). Check the seasoning, adding a squeeze of lemon, more honey or salt if you think it needs it. Scatter over the pomegranate seeds, feta and mint, and serve with couscous.