It’s been years since I have made this, but after spending 5 1/2 days without electricity during one of the biggest ice storms Nashville has ever seen… I needed comfort. I got a sudden craving for the warm spices, the tangy lemons, the briny olives, plus the smell of it cooking slowly for hours on end.

This can be adapted for stovetop in a Dutch oven and can be done in roughly an hour. But I wanted low and slow and cooked it for six hours on low in my Crockpot. Now don’t be scared, it’s a lot of ingredients! But you won’t regret it one bit once you have a taste.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 large Spanish onion, grated (about 1 cup)
• 2 tablespoons canola, grapeseed or olive oil (not a heavy olive oil)
• 1 to 2 preserved lemons, depending on size
• 8 chicken thighs, with bone and skin
• Stems from the parsley and cilantro, tied with twine
• 1/4 teaspoon powdered saffron or 1/4 teaspoon powdered turmeric and 4 strands saffron
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 can chickpeas, drained
• 1 cup pitted green Moroccan or Greek olives
• 1/4 cup cashews
• 1/2 bunch Italian parsley, about 1/4 cup chopped
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, about 1/4 cup chopped

PREPARATION

In a large bowl, mix together all the spices, except the saffron, 1/2 cup grated onion, and the oil.

Rinse the preserved lemons and remove the pulp. RESERVE the lemon peel for later use.

Add the lemon pulp to the mixing bowl. Add the chicken. Mix everything together and place in a large plastic bag to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. (Twenty-four hours really gives the chicken the best flavor.)

READY TO COOK?

Heat a frying pan over medium heat, and place the marinated chicken thighs skin down into the pan. Meanwhile, add the remaining onion, drained chickpeas, olives, and cashews to the crockpot. Remove when skin is a golden brown and nestle into the crockpot. Mix the saffron with the water until dissolved and pour into the frying pan to deglaze it and then add to the crockpot (you want all those yummy bits!).

Lastly, slice the remaining preserved lemon peels and scatter throughout the crockpot, and then cut the stems from a bunch of parsley and a bunch of cilantro and bundle with cooking string. Nestle into the crockpot (see photo below). This will make them easier to remove later. Save the leaves for garnishing later.

Cover and set to low for 5-6 hours, or until the thighs are tender. Then remove the chicken to a serving dish and cover with foil to keep warm. You’ll want to remove the skin at this point; it’s not pretty, and it will be rubbery, so it is not needed. *Do not remove before cooking, leaving the skin on helps keep the chicken moist and tender!

While the thighs rest, turn the crockpot to high to reduce the sauce a bit. Once done, serve the chicken with couscous or basmati rice and spoon the sauce over it. Be sure you get preserved lemon, olives, and cashews on each plate! Garnish with chopped cilantro and parsley leaves.

THE PERFECT BITE

Obviously, the perfect bite would be a little of everything! I use a spoon by the way, this is a very scoopable dish! Start with couscous, add chicken and top with an olive, lemon strip and cashew. Enjoy!

THE PERFECT PAIRING(s)

• Rosé (Best Overall): A chilled dry Rosé, particularly a pale “gris de gris” style, offers high acidity that cuts through the rich, savory, and sweet components of a chicken tajine.
• Red Wine: Choose light-to-medium-bodied reds to avoid overpowering the chicken. A young, peppery Northern Rhône Syrah or a fruity Grenache/GSM blend works well, as the red fruit notes pair with the spices like cinnamon and cumin.

THE PERFECT HEALTH

Moroccan chicken tajine is a nutrient-dense, antioxidant-rich, and anti-inflammatory dish that promotes heart health, muscle maintenance, and digestive function. Slow-cooked, this meal combines lean protein with fiber-rich vegetables and therapeutic spices like turmeric and ginger to boost immunity, reduce inflammation, and support gut health.