Moroccan Poulet au Citron + The Tajine

~ thebasilkitchen

IMG_6265

Morocco is one of the tastiest places on earth. The food is earthy, dark, and richly spiced. It leaves you delightfully full of both food and questions. Was that icing sugar and cinnamon on the chicken? Yes, it was.

I’ve just come back from a 4-month stint abroad in Morocco, and food is the part of my exchange that’s sticking with me the most. I miss the readily-available khubz (خبز), lovely round loaves of bread baked in clay ovens, perfect for dipping. I miss walking down our street to get limonana (ليمون نعناع), a drink from the Levant made of mint leaves and lemons. I miss Friday couscous. All that being said, I think the dish I miss most of all is Dar Naji’s famous poulet au citron. Chicken is dressed in onion, cilantro, olives and citrons confit, and then pressure-cooked into melt-in-your-mouth goodness. Ladies and gentlemen, I’m very pleased to say that I made a pretty successful recreation of it here in Ottawa.

Poulet au citron is cooked in a tajine, which is essentially a Moroccan pressure cooker. I used one to cook almost every meal in Rabat, and they are just fantastic. Not a lot of Moroccans (traditionally) have their own ovens, so the tajine simulates that intense heat on a stovetop. Throw everything in the pot, cover it, and it’s ready and delicious in 45 minutes. They are made of clay, which apparently bestows some flavour on the dish and gives them a distinct red colour. I, tragically, left our beloved tajine in the airport in Casablanca on the way home. Luckily, Kelly Sherlock (not the first or the last time I’ll thank her on this blog) blessed our household with a new tajine from our local Moroccan restaurant! Obviously, poutlet au citron was the best dish to christen it.

IMG_6223

Citrons confit are preserved lemons, pickled in lots of salt until the are soft and gooey and delicious. They are definitely a specialty ingredient, mostly used in Moroccan cooking, and you can pick them up at your go-to gourmet grocer. In Ottawa, find them at La Bottega Nicastro!

IMG_6229

Bright yellow Tumeric is what colors this dish, and gives it a look that matches its lemon flavour.

IMG_6267

I promise that if you try this dish, it will make you happy. It’s hearty, it’s rich, and it tastes just like Morocco. Even if you’ve never been, you will imagine sitting and eating in a hot, bustling market, people-watching, dipping bread, and drinking mint tea. That’s Morocco for me.

Moroccan Poulet au Citron Tajine

  • Servings: 2-4
  • Difficulty: Easy
  • Print

IngredientsIMG_6267

  • 2 chicken breasts, bone-in
  • 2 citrons confits
  • 1 onion
  • 3 large cloves of garlic
  • 1 large handful of cilantro
  • 1 1/2 tsp. tumeric
  • 6 strands saffron
  • 1 tsp. black ground pepper
  • 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tsp. ginger
  • 1/3 cup of green olives, pitted

Directions

  1. Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or tajine. Mince or grate onion, and garlic, and remove the flesh of the confit lemons. Add to pot.
  2. Place chicken in the pot and add spices and cilantro.
  3. Let the chicken brown for about 4-5 minutes on each side, and stir the whole mix.
  4. Add enough water to the pot to cover the chicken. Bring to boil, and then simmer covered for 30 minutes.
  5. After 30 minutes the chicken will be totally cooked. Add the olives.
  6. Simmer uncovered to reduce the cooking liquid into a thicker sauce. Cook until it has reduced by half.
  7. Serve the chicken in your tajine or in a bowl, with plenty of bread or couscous.

One thought on “Moroccan Poulet au Citron + The Tajine”

Leave a comment