Chicken with Olives and Lemon – Moroccan Style – Cooking Tutorial

Chicken with Olives and Lemon – Moroccan Style – Cooking Tutorial

Chicken with olives and lemon, prepared in the traditional Moroccan way, is one of the most delicious dishes, combining tender chicken with a rich, flavorful broth infused with unique spices and seasonings. Today, we’ll show you how to prepare this wonderful recipe step by step.

Ingredients for Moroccan Chicken with Olives and Lemon

 
Note: This recipe serves 4 people.

• 1 kilogram of chicken

• 1 small onion, diced, and another onion cut into thin slices

• Tomato, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, finely minced

• Fresh cilantro and parsley, chopped (both leaves and stems separately)

• Olive oil or regular oil

• Olives (any type) and pickled lemon

• Spices: ground ginger, turmeric, white pepper, saffron

• Salt and black pepper

• Hot water

---

How to Cook Moroccan Chicken with Olives and Lemon

Step 1 – Marinating the chicken:
Wash the chicken thoroughly and cut it into four pieces. Place it in a bowl and season it with the spices (ginger, turmeric, white pepper, and saffron). Mix well so the spices coat the chicken evenly.

Heat olive oil in a pot over the stove. Once hot, add the marinated chicken pieces and sauté until golden brown. Then, add the onions, tomato, garlic, and the chopped stems of cilantro and parsley. Stir everything well with the chicken until the vegetables soften and release their aroma. Make sure to stir regularly to prevent the chicken from burning.

After about 15 minutes, add the olives and pickled lemon, stirring again. Pour hot water into the pot to cover the ingredients, then season with salt and black pepper to taste. Let the chicken simmer until fully cooked.
Tip: Always use hot water when cooking meat to avoid any unpleasant smell.

---

Step 2 – Serving the dish:
Place the chicken pieces on serving plates as desired. Pour some of the broth over each portion — this broth is especially delicious thanks to the blend of spices and herbs. Garnish the dish with fresh parsley and dill leaves.

This meal is traditionally served with vermicelli rice and a tomato-and-vegetable salad. Total preparation and cooking time is about 60–70 minutes.

Enjoy your meal!