Emile Henry’s Chicken Tagine
with Preserved Lemon and Olives 

  • 1 (3.3 lb) chicken cut into pieces
  • 2 preserved lemons
  • 1.5 cups green olives
  • 3 onions, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ginger (fresh or dried)
  • 1 teaspoon saffron
  • 1 bunch flat parsley
  • 1 teaspoon coriander / cilandro, chopped
  • juice of 2 lemons
  • 5 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • salt, pepper

Recipe for 6 servings


In a hot Emile Henry tagine, fry the pieces of chicken in the olive oil and butter, adding the onions, bunch of parsley, ginger, saffron, salt and pepper.
Add three glasses of water and the sliced preserved lemons. Cover and cook for 30 minutes. Add a little water during cooking if necessary and stir occasionally.
Add the coriander / cilandro and lemon juice, and cook for another 15 minutes.
At the end of cooking, add the olives, and serve directly at the table.


Preserved lemons: lemons preserved in salt are a vital part of Moroccan cooking. They are simple to prepare and can be kept for several months.
Take 1 kg / 2 lb washed lemons. Rub them with salt and cover them with 1 kg / 2 lb salt for 12 hours. Put them in a container with salt, cover them with water, add 15 cl / 10 tablespoons vinegar to stop them from turning black, and some bay leaves. Add 10 tablespoons groundnut peanut oil, and leave at room temperature for one week.