Chicken with olives and candied lemon

A cocotte is to the kitchen what a white shirt is to your wardrobe. A basic item that allows you to prepare stews and roasts, creams, soups and purees; it can be used on the stove or in the oven. In short, it is a very versatile and highly durable casserole.

With this casserole I have prepared a wonderful traditional Moroccan recipe: Chicken with olives and preserved lemons . This chicken is flavoured with turmeric, ginger and saffron which are roasted to fully release all their aromas. It is a simple but splendid stew that takes little time to prepare. I have made it with chicken thighs because it is a part that is very tender but if you wish, you can make it with a whole chicken cut into eighths.

The two ingredients that make this dish authentic are the olives and the preserved lemons . You can use pitted olives or some good olives with the pits and remove the stones, I'll leave it up to you and the time you have available. If you use some good olives with the stones, you'll give this dish a plus, but if you're in a hurry , don't worry, use pitted olives because they'll be just as delicious. The preserved lemon is another ingredient that makes a difference in this stew: It provides a subtle lemon flavour and, being preserved in brine, it provides the right amount of salt to the dish.

At home we accompany the dish with white basmati rice because it takes 12-15 minutes to cook, it is very aromatic and very loose. But boiled or roasted potatoes can go well with it, and if you have some slices of a good loaf of bread, they can help you to clean the plate and leave it clean.

Le Creuset Evolution Round Cocotte , Caractère Revol porcelain oval tray and wooden board

INGREDIENTS (For 4 people)

• 8 chicken thighs
• 2 onions
• 1 preserved lemon (*), seeded and cut into eighths
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 clove of garlic
• 6 strands of saffron
• A pinch of salt/pepper (salt only for chicken)
• 6 tablespoons of oil
• 150 g pitted olives
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 400 ml of unsalted vegetable or chicken broth
• To Accompany: 200 g of white basmati rice

(*) Preserved lemon: you can make it at home or buy it in Moroccan supermarkets.

PREPARATION

1. Peel, clean and slice the onions. Chop the garlic and set aside. Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
2. In a cocotte, brown the chicken thighs on both sides and remove from the pan. Set aside.
3. Next, fry the onion in 6 tablespoons of oil. Allow to cook for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. While the onion is cooking, remove the seeds from the preserved lemon and cut it into slices or small wedges. Chop the bunch of cilantro and the bunch of parsley. Set aside.
5. When the onion is well sautéed, add the ginger, turmeric, garlic and saffron and let it toast for 2 minutes.
6. Return the thighs to the pan, along with the olives and chopped fresh herbs; cover with the stock and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until the thighs are tender.
7. Serve with white basmati rice.

Le Creuset Evolution Round Cocotte