No.67 The 100 Most Popular Recipes Ever · October 2026

Chicken tagine with preserved lemons and olives

Made famous by Paula Wolfert

Photo: Foodista, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

From Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco, 1973.

Morocco's most famous dish. Wolfert's book introduced it to the English-speaking world, and it is still the classic recipe.

Written in our own words and tested in a home kitchen. Get the original in Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco.

Ingredients

• One 3 1/2-lb (1.6 kg) chicken, cut into 8 pieces, or 3 lb chicken thighs
• 3 garlic cloves, grated
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• Large pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 large onions, grated or finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro and parsley mixed
• 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) water or chicken stock
• 1 to 2 preserved lemons, flesh discarded, rind cut into strips
• 1 cup (150 g) green or violet olives, rinsed
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Steps

1. Rub the chicken with the garlic, spices, salt and 1 tablespoon oil. Marinate 1 hour at room temperature or overnight in the fridge.
2. Put the chicken, onions, herbs, cinnamon and the rest of the oil in a tagine or heavy casserole with the water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
3. Cover and cook gently 45 minutes to 1 hour, turning the chicken now and then, until it is very tender.
4. Lift out the chicken. Boil the sauce uncovered, stirring, until the onions melt into a thick, golden sauce, about 10 minutes.
5. Return the chicken, add the preserved lemon and olives, and simmer 10 minutes more, basting. Add the lemon juice and taste for salt (the lemons and olives are salty).
6. Serve from the pot with bread or couscous.

Chef's tips

• Preserved lemons are sold in jars; or make your own a month ahead with lemons and salt.
• Grating the onion makes it melt into the sauce.

This is Chef Amazing's write-up of the dish, tested for a home kitchen. The original is in Couscous and Other Good Food from Morocco by Paula Wolfert: get the book, No. 79 on The 100 Greatest Cookbooks.

← No. 66Grilled steak with chimichurri→ No. 68Moussaka