Chicken with Olives and Preserved Lemon

A casserole is to the kitchen what a white shirt is in your wardrobe. A staple that lets you prepare stews and roasts, creams, soups, and purées; it can go on the stovetop or in the oven. In short, it's a very versatile, highly durable pot.

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

The 2 ingredients that give authenticity to this dish are the olives and the preserved lemons. You can use pitted olives or good seasoned olives with pits and remove them yourself, I leave it to your taste and the time you have available. If you use good olives with pits you will give the dish an extra touch, but if you are in a hurry don't worry, use pitted olives because it will be just as delicious. The preserved lemon is another ingredient that makes a difference in this stew: It provides a subtle lemon flavor and because it is preserved in a brine, it gives the dish the right amount of salt.

At home we serve the dish with white basmati rice because it is ready in 12-15 minutes, is very aromatic and stays fluffy. But boiled or roasted potatoes would also go well, and if you have slices of a good loaf of bread they can help you mop up the dish and leave it clean.

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

INGREDIENTS (For 4 people)

• 8 chicken thighs
• 2 onions
• 1 preserved lemon (*) pitted and cut into eighths
• 1 cp of turmeric
• 1 cp of ginger
• 1 clove of garlic
• 6 saffron threads
• A pinch of salt /Pepper (salt only for the chicken)
• 6 tablespoons of oil
• 150 g of pitted olives
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 400 ml of unsalted vegetable or chicken stock
• To Serve: 200 g of white basmati rice

(*) Preserved lemon: you can make it at home or buy it at 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 casserole brown the chicken thighs on both sides and remove from the casserole. Set aside.
3. Next, sauté the onion in 6 tablespoons of oil. Let it stew well for 15 to 20 minutes.
4. While the onion is stewing, remove the pits from the preserved lemon and cut into thin slices or small wedges. Chop the bunches of cilantro and parsley. Set aside.
5. When the onion is well stewed, add the ginger, turmeric, garlic and saffron and let toast for 2 minutes.
6. Return the thighs to the casserole, along with the olives, and the 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 accompanied by white basmati rice.

Cocotte Redonda Evolution Le Creuset