Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Instructions

To make the Charmoula:

1. Slice your preserved lemons into quarters, then scoop out their flesh. Roughly chop to a smaller size and place in a bowl
2. Remove the stalks from your parsley and coriander then chop it to a fairly small size
3. Mince the garlic, then add it to the bowl. Place the saffron in a mortar with a pinch of salt and grind it into a powder. Once pulverized, add a tablespoon of boiling water and mix well
4. Add the saffron mixture to the bowl as well as the spices and harissa, then mix well making sure to grind down the lemon

To make the chicken:

1. Separate the skin of the chicken from the meat using your fingers, then apply the marinade onto and under the skin. Ensure it is all well coated
2. Set the chicken aside to marinate for a few hours or a minimum of half an hour. You can cook this in any pan or a tagine if you have one
3. Start off by adding the olive oil to your cooking vessel, then add the onion chopped to a small dice. Add in the salt and ginger and mix well
4. Turn the heat to low and let the vessel heat up, once the onions start to release some steam and sweat, add your chicken on top of the onions
5. Cover the cooking vessel with a lid, and turn to medium heat then allow to cook for 10 minutes
6. At this point, the chicken should have released loads of liquid so turn the heat to low and set a timer for 20-30 minutes
7. When the chicken looks cooked, you'll add in the olives and the lemon juice. Feel free to baste the chicken with the liquid
8. Cook for 10 more minutes covered, then you can cook uncovered to reduce the sauce if needed
9. Serve with some soft but crusty bread