Kip met citroen en olijven uit de tajine: een eenvoudig recept voor beginners

Chicken with lemon and olives from the tagine: a simple recipe for beginners

Make chicken with lemon and olives in the tagine: an accessible recipe with ingredients, preparation time, and tips for slow cooking.

Are you making a dish in your tagine for the first time? This chicken with lemon and olives is an accessible way to start. The chicken cooks slowly with onion and spices, while the lemon and olives flavor the sauce.

Serves 4 · preparation time: approximately 60–75 minutes.

Ingredients

4 chicken legs or 800 g chicken thighs
2 onions, cut into half rings
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp black pepper
1 preserved lemon, in pieces, or the zest and juice of 1 regular lemon
100 g green olives
150 ml water
A handful of fresh parsley or cilantro
Salt to taste

Preparation

Check if your tagine is suitable for cooking and if it is completely dry. Spread the oil, onions, and garlic over the dish and place the chicken on top.
Sprinkle the ginger, turmeric, and pepper over the chicken. Add the water and place the lid on the tagine.
Heat the tagine slowly over low heat. Use a heat diffuser if the instructions for your tagine or stovetop require it. Let the chicken cook gently, adding a small splash of warm water if necessary.
After about 35 minutes, add the preserved lemon and olives. Continue to cook for another 20–30 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. Preferably check with a kitchen thermometer: the inside of the chicken should reach at least 75 °C.
Taste the sauce before adding salt: preserved lemon and olives are often already salty. Finish with parsley or cilantro.

Serve with bread to soak up the sauce. Are you using a regular lemon instead of a preserved one? Add the juice near the end and taste how much you need.

Using your tagine for the first time?

First, follow the instructions that came with your tagine. Avoid sudden temperature changes and heat the tagine gradually. Not every decorative tagine is suitable for cooking.