CHICKEN M’QUALLI

Chicken m’qualli is Morocco’s most beloved tagine. A fragrant stew of chicken, preserved lemons and olives, that encapsulates all the sunshine flavours of Moroccan cuisine. Just add crusty bread and a salad, or roast potatoes and something green. B’saha! 

SERVES 6

INGREDIENTS

6 skinless thighs and 3 breasts (cut in half) or a large whole chicken if you have a large enough tagine or pot.
3 onions, sliced into half-moons
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 glass white wine
75g green olives, pitted and torn in half
½ preserved lemon, flesh removed, rind rinsed and thinly sliced
1 litre chicken stock
Small bunch parsley, roughly chopped
Olive oil

You will need either a ceramic tagine or large pot.

METHOD

1. Pre-heat oven to 160ºC
2. Sauté the chicken thighs and breasts in an oven proof pan with a lid, in olive oil, until golden brown (they do not need to be cooked all the way through), remove to a dish and set aside
3. In the left-over oil, sauté the onions and garlic until soft and caramelized, add the spices and stir well to combine, then add the glass of wine and cook until absorbed
4. Add the chicken back to the pan, along with any juices, then stir though the olives and the preserved lemon
5. Pour over enough stock to ensure the chicken is just submerged, and bring to a boil
6. Cook for 5 minutes, stir then put a lid on the pan, place in the oven and cook for about an hour, until the meat is spoon-tender and the sauce thickened
7. Serve sprinkled with lots of parsley

Chicken M’Qualli is one of the tagines that we regularly create for our Moroccan themed nights in the Colonnade Cafe. We serve ours with a selection of seasonal salads and in the winter months, we accompany it with couscous.