Chicken Tajine

To achieve a delicious meal, it is essential to dedicate ourselves to preparing the ingredients, considering that each step contributes to creating a savory dish. We start a week before cooking, when we will take care of the lemons that will add an unmistakable flavor to our dish. We choose fresh lemons, wash them thoroughly to ensure they are clean, then cut them into quarters, being careful to keep the juice. They are generously salted with coarse salt, an essential ingredient that will help preserve them. After salting, the lemons are placed in a jar, and the juice of another lemon is squeezed over them, enhancing the aroma and intensifying the flavor. We cover the jar and let it rest so that the flavors can meld.

A day before preparing the main course, it’s time to take care of the chicken. We portion the meat and place it in a salad bowl, where we add the juice of three fresh lemons, which will provide acidity and help tenderize the meat. We continue with coriander, parsley, mint, ginger, onion, and garlic, all finely chopped, to enrich the dish with flavors. Saffron and hot paprika are added in moderation, giving a hint of color and a spicy taste. We carefully mix all the ingredients, ensuring that each piece of chicken is well coated with the marinade, then cover the salad bowl with plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

On cooking day, we take the chicken out of the marinade and drain it, keeping the aromatic liquid. In a frying pan, we heat a little oil and brown the chicken pieces, for about 15 minutes, over moderate heat, until they are nicely browned on all sides. After the chicken has developed a delicious crust, we transfer it to a tajine, a clay pot that will help cook the dish evenly. We add the reserved marinade, raisins that will bring a sweet contrast, the pickled lemons with their juice, pineapple compote, and the other ingredients. We mix well, and to achieve a rich sauce, we add a cup of water.

We cover the tajine and place it in the preheated oven, setting the temperature to very low heat. For at least an hour, the delicious aroma will spread throughout the kitchen, and the chicken will become extremely tender and flavorful. In the end, the dish will be not just a meal but a true culinary experience, thanks to the attention given to each step. Enjoy it alongside a side of rice or fresh bread, which will perfectly complement this feast!