Chicken Tagine

A delightfully easy, one-pot recipe, this Moroccan inspired chicken tagine is bursting with spices and flavour. It is perfect for hosting as there is minimal washing up but maximum deliciousness. 

It is also a great way of using Sutton Hoo Chicken stock – the recipe for which can be found here.

Served with fresh tomato and mint couscous and flat bread, this warming and fragrant recipe is ideal for autumnal nights. 

Ingredients

·       1/2 tsp saffron threads, crushed

·       250ml/9fl oz Sutton Hoo Chicken stock, warmed (see recipe here)

·       3 tbsp olive oil

·       3 onions, chopped

·       1 tsp ground ginger

·       1 tsp ground cumin

·       3 garlic cloves, crushed

·       1 Sutton Hoo chicken, jointed (find out how to perfectly joint your chicken)

·       1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed

·      4 small preserved lemons, quartered, or 2 larger ones, chopped

·      The juice of two lemons

·       100g/3.5oz black olives

·       A generous handful each of chopped coriander and flat leaf parsley leaves

Method

1.    Add the saffron threads to the warmed Sutton Hoo Chicken stock, then set aside to infuse.

2.   In a tagine (or heavy-bottomed lidded casserole dish), heat the olive oil and cook the onions until soft. This can take up to 15 minutes. Next, add the cumin, ginger and garlic and fry on a low heat for a couple of minutes.

3.    Meanwhile, once you’ve jointed your chicken (find out how here), fry it in a separate pan for about 8 minutes to brown the skin evenly. Then add it to your tagine or casserole dish. Stir to coat with the onion and spices then sprinkle in the crushed peppercorns and add the lemons and your delicious saffron-infused stock. 

4.    Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover and cook on a low heat for an hour, or until the chicken is cooked through and beginning to fall off the bone.

5.    Add your olives of choice and continue to simmer for another ten minutes. Take off the heat and stir in the chopped coriander, parsley and fresh lemon juice just before serving.

Served in our photos with tomato and mint couscous and flatbreads, this warming chicken dish goes well with a variety of accompaniments. You could also try potatoes, crusty bread or rice and a green salad.

For information on where to find Sutton Hoo Chicken produce near you click here.