Melissas Produce

Chicken Tagine with Potatoes, Green Olives, and Honey

By Heidi Allison
Chicken dish with vegetables in a black skillet
North African tagines are renowned for their succulent meats braised in fragrant spices, olives, and honey, creating meals that are both budget-friendly and quick to prepare. This modern interpretation of the classic Moroccan dish, Tagine of Chicken with Cracked Green Olives and Honey, is designed for convenience, requiring only one pot and is ready in under 30 minutes; perfect for busy weeknights when you are short on time. For a balanced meal, serve with an icy-cold romaine salad dressed in a light lemon vinaigrette; the tartness complements the sweetness of the main dish. Pairs well alongside steamed couscous or grilled flatbreads to soak up the flavorful sauce.

To achieve a perfect tagine, simmer the meat until it is tender enough to fall off the bone, allowing the fat and juices to meld into a rich, velvety sauce. The Qamamma style tagines, which incorporate onions and shallots as their base, are considered among the best of this culinary tradition.

If you own a tagine, use it for this recipe. Alternatively, a Le Creuset enameled, cast-iron dish or a medium-size enameled, cast-iron Dutch oven also produces excellent results. Bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs are recommended as they remain moist and succulent even when slightly overcooked, while the bone and fat enhance the depth of flavor and silkiness of the sauce. For variety, experiment with different olives such as buttery cracked or pitted green and black olives, or Greek-style sweet and spicy tangerine and chili olives. When using sweeter olives, omit the honey as the dish will be sweet enough. Lamb can be substituted for chicken thighs and garnish the finished dish with a chiffonade of parsley, mint, or cilantro before serving.

Ingredients
3 Tbsp. Ras El Hanout seasoning
3 large chicken breasts, bone-in and skin-on
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, peeled and cut into thin rings (about ½ cup)
2 small yellow onions, peeled and chopped (about 2/3 cup)
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. coriander seed
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbsp. double-concentrated tomato paste
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/3-inch rounds
1/3 cup chicken bone broth (recommended: Butcher’s brand)
10 Melissa’s Peewee Dutch yellow® potatoes, rinsed
5 Melissa’s heirloom baby tomatoes, washed and halved
8 pimento-stuffed green olives (4 sliced, 4 whole)
1 tsp. honey

Rinse and dry the chicken thighs. Dust both sides with Ras El Hanout seasoning and set aside on a rack to dry while preparing onions, garlic, tomatoes, and olives.

Place the bottom of a tagine or medium skillet on the burner. Add olive oil and heat on medium-high until shimmering but not smoking. Add chicken thighs, skin-side down, ensuring they do not touch. Sauté until the skin is golden and slightly crispy, then turn and sear the other side. This should take about 10 minutes total. Remove chicken and set aside.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add garlic, shallots, onion, and salt, then sauté, stirring often, until soft and golden yellow, about 5 minutes. Add carrots and coriander seed, and continue sautéing for two minutes, stirring often. Add tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds to eliminate its raw flavor.

Return chicken thighs to the pan, placing them over the sautéed vegetables. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Scatter potatoes and whole olives around the thighs. Cover and reduce the heat to low, cooking for 20-25 minutes. If the sauce thickens too much, add more chicken stock or water.
Casserole dish with chicken, olives, and vegetables
After 20 minutes, check that the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165° F and the potatoes are fork-tender. Remove from heat and add honey and sliced olives, stirring to combine. Serve warm (not hot), as the sauce will thicken and become syrupy as it cools.