Tajine Msir Zeetoon - Moroccan Chicken With Lemons

Chef floWer's Note:

Moroccan Chicken with lemons and three types of olives. If you like sour/lemon flavours then this dish will be suitable for you. This dish is very easy and preparation time is only 10 mins and 30 mins to marinate. The recipe requires 1 chicken cut into serving pieces but I used 8 chicken pieces (thighs & drumsticks) with skin off. I don't normally have fresh coriander regularly available but I used 1 teaspoon of coriander powdered. It comes from a book called 'The Olive Oil Cookbook' by Marlena Spieler.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 40 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

The Chicken

• 1 chicken, cut into serving pieces (thighs or drumsticks) or 8 chicken pieces (thighs or drumsticks)

Marinate

• 1 tablespoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ½-1 teaspoon ginger
• ½-1 teaspoon turmeric
• 5 garlic cloves , chopped
• fresh coriander , Several handfuls, chopped
• 2 lemons, juice of
• black pepper , ground (to taste)
• cayenne pepper , ground (to taste)
• 3 -5 tablespoons flour

Sauce

• 4 tomatoes , chopped (either ripe or canned)
• 10 -15 green olives (See note below) or 10 -15 black olives , drained (See note below)
• 1 lemon , cut into 6 wedges
• 50 ml extra virgin olive oil
• 250 ml chicken stock

Extras

• 1 lemon, juice of , to taste

Directions:

1. Combine the chicken with cumin, paprika, ginger, turmeric, garlic, coriander, lemon juice and peppers, and place in a baking dish in a single layer.
2. Leave to marinate for 30 mins, then add the flour, and toss together to cost well.
3. Heat the oven to 160oC/325oF/ Gas Mark 3. Add the chopped tomatoes, olives, lemon wedges, olive oil and stock to the dish.
4. Bake uncovered for about an hour or until the chick is tender and a delicious sauce has formed.
5. Note on olives: You need to have 10-15 each of three types in total you can choose green olives of your choice, black olives, cracked olives, oil-cured olives, purplish-red olives, Kalamata, pimiento-stuffed green olives, etc.

Reviews

[Coasty]

My family really enjoyed this dish. The flavours where intense Will definately be making again. Just a couple of changes - I didn't have enough lemons, so I added sliced preserved lemons instead of lemon wedges. I had the fresh coriander so used that and I cooked it on the stove top in my new tangine. To balance out the sharp citrus taste and served this with steamed couscous studded with currants and pinenuts. I made this as part of Recipe Swap #35

[Ravenseyes]

This is a very pretty dish - has a lot of good flavors - salt is a definte must in this recipe - just lacks a little in depth of flavors tried them again as leftovers the day after the day after and there was something there that wasn't there the day it was made so perhaps like good soups and stews this one taste's better with age!!! thank you

[JoyfulCook]

Magnificent was the verdict.... I followed the recipe exactly and it was great... the flavor was just so different and yummy thanks for posting. its going to be added to my menus at home