Travel Stories :: Chicken Tagine w/Preserved Limes

Our friend E. just got back from an amazing trip to London and Paris!  She came over for dinner to tell us all about her adventures.  Don't you ♥ hearing travel stories?  I do! It makes me want to hop on a plane immediately!  I secretly wish people still have get togethers to look at travel pictures instead of just posting them online.  :-)

Anyway.... in the spirit of far-off travels, for dinner, I decided to make something I've been daydreaming of for a while: a chicken tagine!  I had seen a wonderful recipe by Sunday Suppers a while back and was especially excited because it's the perfect plate for the preserved limes  I had in the fridge.

Since I don't have a proper tagine pot (on my wishlist... and after this experiment it has quickly risen to #1 on that list!), I made it in an oven baking dish.  While the presentation might not be as dramatic, the flavor was as delicious as I imagined, and much easier than I had thought!  The seasoned chicken is perfection with the sweet raisins and tangy limes and olives.  It's amazing how soft the limes/lemons become when preserved.  

I paired the tagine with a simple almond rice (by simple I mean I just toasted 1/2 cup almonds, 2 cloves garlic with 2 cups rice before adding the water).  It was so delicious, I couldn't bring myself to throw away the leftover tagine sauce. I froze it... I think it would be delicious over couscous!

Enjoy!

CHICKEN TAGINE (adapted from Sunday Suppers)

1 whole chicken, cut

1 tsp turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, dried cilantro, and coriander

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup lemon/lime juice

1/2 cup preserved lemon/limes

1/2 cup olives, pitted

1 white onion, slices

1/2 golden raisins

2 cups chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Mix the  olive oil, lime juice, and spices and season the chicken.  Let the chicken marinate for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

On high heat in a non-stick skillet with bit of olive oil, sear the chicken.  Make sure you sear all sides.  This will take about 15 minutes.  You want a nice golden brown color.

Place the seared chicken in the tagine or baking dish (covered with foil) along with the raisins, olives, onion, preserved limes, and chicken stock.  Place in the oven and cook for 45 minutes or until chicken is done.

Preserving :: Limes

I was excited to see Sunday's Supper posting on preserved lemons!  

We're heading out of town tomorrow and I have a large bowl full of limes sitting on the kitchen counter.  Also, I have a plenty of Ball glass jars around from a disastrous attempt to make a cherry & red currant jelly a few weeks back.  oops!  I ♥ these jars - especially as glasses for ice cold lemonade.

Preserved limes or lemons are a great addition to any chicken or fish dish, as well as many salads.  You can even add to a simple plate of olives for a more interesting flavor and look.

Enjoy!

oh PS: Any tips on making jelly are gladly accepted! :-)

PRESERVED KEY LIMES (adapted from Sunday Suppers)

2-3 cups of sliced limes

1/2 cup kosher salt

plenty of olive oil

optional: add a spring of rosemary or thyme to season

Cut limes (or lemons) into 1/4" inch slices.  Set aside 2 or 3 limes.  Add the salt and a bit of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) to the limes and completely coat.  Let them rest for an hour.

Transfer limes into your glass jar.  Push all the way to the bottom.  Add the liquid that's leftover from the marinating tray.  Add herbs, and squeeze the juice of your leftover lemons.  Fill the remainder of the jar with olive oil until all the limes are covered.  

Cover the jar and seal.  Refrigerate, and use within 6 months.