Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Olives recipe, brought to you by MiNDFOOD.
Serves 4
1 x 1.5kg free-range chicken, with liver, if possible
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
100g butter
1 tbsp ground ginger
7.5cm cinnamon stick
¾ tsp turmeric powder
¾ tsp saffron strands
white pepper
1 lemon, juiced
100g kalamata olives
100g preserved lemon
10g coriander leaves, chopped
10g flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped
1 Remove liver and excess fat from chicken cavity. Discard fat. Cut liver into small pieces and refrigerate.
2 Place chicken in a flameproof casserole, saucepan or tagine with a tight-fitting lid in which it fits snugly. Add onion, garlic, butter, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, saffron and 1 tsp salt. Season with white pepper.
3 Add 700ml water. Cover and bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer, spooning sauce over chicken and turning chicken occasionally for 40 minutes or until just cooked through.
4 Transfer chicken to a plate. Cover with foil. Add lemon juice to casserole. Increase heat to high and simmer until sauce is reduced by two-thirds. Return chicken to casserole with olives and preserved lemon. Cover and simmer for a further 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
5 Transfer chicken to a large platter. Add chicken liver to sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Add coriander and parsley. Spoon sauce over and around chicken and serve.
