Recipe

May 26, 2026

One-pot Chicken Tagine

Recipe: Clodagh McKenna

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“I suggest threads of saffron for the tagine, which add a special magic, but saffron is undeniably expensive, so you could add half a teaspoon of smoked paprika instead.” — Clodagh McKenna

Ingredients

Marinade

  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • Finely grated zest and juice 1 lemon
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Chicken

  • 6 chicken supremes (airline chicken breasts), or 12 chicken thighs
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • Good pinch saffron threads (or ½ tsp smoked paprika)
  • 2½ cups hot chicken stock
  • ¾ cup green olives, pitted
  • Juice 1 lemon
  • 2 preserved lemons, sliced (or zest and juice of 2 regular lemons)
  • Mint leaves, to serve

Couscous

  • 2⅓ cups whole wheat couscous
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • 3 cups hot chicken stock
  • ¾ cup sliced almonds, toasted
  • Handful chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Yield: Serves 6

Marinate Chicken

  1. In large bowl, add all marinade ingredients and mix well. Add chicken, rub it well with marinade, then cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours or, even better, overnight. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

Cook Chicken

  1. Preheat oven 400°F. Meanwhile, set large, flameproof casserole dish over medium heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Put chicken and all marinade in casserole dish and brown chicken on all sides, then remove and set aside.
  2. Now put remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil, onion and garlic into casserole dish and cook for a few minutes, then return chicken and stir.
  3. In jug, add saffron or smoked paprika and hot stock and stir, then pour over chicken, followed by olives, lemon juice and preserved lemons. Cover and cook in hot oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until tender, checking and splashing in water if dry.

Make Couscous and Serve

  1. While chicken is cooking, make couscous. Pour couscous into bowl and stir in spices and raisins, then pour in hot stock, cover and leave to steam for 8 to 10 minutes.
  2. Uncover and fluff grains with fork (using a spoon will make mixture clumpy). Stir in almonds and parsley, season with salt and pepper, and serve on platter with tagine, scattering chicken with mint leaves.
Source:

Recipes adapted from Clodagh’s Happy Cooking: 100 Easy, Speedy, Healthy Recipes for Good Mood Food by Clodagh McKenna. Photography by David Loftus. ©2026 by Octopus Publishing Group. Excerpted with permission from Kyle Books. All rights reserved

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