Moroccan Chicken with Green Olives, Apricots & Saffron

Originally I set out to make a Moroccan tagine, however I couldn’t find my clay pot…so instead I settled on this stew/tagine hybrid. Whilst it may lack in tradition, it most certainly makes up for in flavour – bursting with juicy sweet apricots, aromatic saffron and just the right amount of saltiness from briney green olives. It’s best served up in a big bowl with a mountain of couscous and a dollop of minty yogurt.

You may notice this recipe calls for lemon rind in place of the more traditional preserved lemon, for which I prefer as I do find they can get quite bitter the longer you cook them. I’ve also used bone broth for added gut health benefits, however you could totally use chicken stock here if you desire. An excellent meal-prep or one pot wonder for your next dinner party and I quite honestly think it tastes even better the next day!

Lunch

Dinner

A Little Longer

Serves 5-6

Prep Time 5 Mins

Cook Time 60 Mins

Method

1
Ensure you allow the chicken to come down to room temperature before cooking. Season the marylands generously with salt. Heat half of the olive oil over a high heat in a deep non-stick fry pan for which has a lid. Once the oil is hot, place the chicken into the pan. Sear the chicken for approximately 3 minutes on each side or until golden, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Remove from the pot and set aside.
2
Place the pot back on the heat and turn the heat down to medium. Add the remaining olive oil, onions and leeks, cooking until they start to soften and turn opaque. Next, add the coriander seeds and cumin seeds, gently toasting until they are fragrant.
3
Place the chicken marylands and its pan juices back to the pot, followed by the bone broth, hot water, carrots, chickpeas, apricots, turmeric, saffron, garlic, cinnamon, lemon rind and chilli. Stir until combine, then cover and bring up to a low simmer for approximately 40 minutes.
4
Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside onto a plate. Carefully shred the meat, then place back into the stew. Stir in the green olives, coriander and lemon juice. Allow to gently simmer uncovered for a further 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for 5 minutes.
5
Serve a generous ladle amongst bowls with some couscous, a dollop of yogurt and a scattering of fresh mint.