One of the most renowned and popular dishes in Morocco, Djej Makalli combines two staple ingredients of Moroccan cuisine: Preserved lemons and olives. The chicken is marinated in flavorful spices then slow-simmered in a sauce that will make your taste buds sing.
Moroccan food is considered to be one of the most diversified cuisines in the world, its country having interacted with and embraced many other nations and cultural influences over the centuries. One of Morocco’s top priorities has been to protect and preserve its diverse legacy and culture. Moroccan cuisine is primarily Berber-Moorish, but is also influenced by Europe and the Mediterranean in some of its techniques and flavors, evidenced by today’s featured dish. Moroccan food is known for its vibrant flavors and this Moroccan Chicken is a perfect example: Garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, preserved lemon, olives, cilantro, parsley…these are a few of the ingredients that combine to produce a truly unforgettable meal. But the undisputed star of the show is the preserved lemon. Preserved lemons are lemons on steroids. They add intensity of flavor without the sourness of fresh lemons. They completely transform any dish in which they’re used. There is no substitute.
“Click” Preserved Lemons to see my article on what they are, how they’re used, and how to make them (easy, easy, easy!)
Traditionally this chicken dish would be cooked in a special North African pot called a Tagine. It’s formed entirely of a heavy clay, which is often painted or glazed, such as mine, pictured below. It’s fairly shallow and consists of a base where the food is placed and a large cone/dome-shaped lid that is designed to promote the return of all condensation to the bottom. With the cover removed, the base can be taken to the table for serving.
For the recipe in the picture below, CLICK HERE.
But fear not, you don’t need a tagine to get heavenly results. This Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemon and Olives will become an instant family favorite. My 2 and 4 year old kids both loved it and my husband couldn’t wait to take the leftovers with him to work the next day.
Bottom line: This dish is a must. Whether you’re already adventurous and love world cuisine, would like to become more familiar with world cuisine, or just plain appreciate good food, this dish is for you. Make it. You’ll be very happy you did. The layers of flavor in this dish are amazing! Just don’t forget to make those preserved lemons first – they’re a must.
Let’s get started!
You can use 4 whole chicken breasts if you like. I prefer to use two and cut them in half lengthwise to make smaller fillets. This dish can also be made with bone-in chicken pieces (traditionally you would use a whole chicken and cut it up into pieces). Whichever route you take, all roads lead to culinary heaven.
Combine all the marinade ingredients.
Place the chicken in a zip-lock bag and pour the marinade over it. Swish it around to ensure the chicken is all coated. Let it marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight to achieve maximum flavor.
Very finely dice the onion and chop the cilantro and parsley.
Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onions until soft and transparent, 5-7 minutes.
Add the chicken and cook just until white, about 2 minutes on each side. (In Morocco, traditionally the chicken is not fried first but just briefly cooked until white and then slow simmered in the sauce.)
Add the broth and any remaining marinade from the zip-lock bag. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, turning the chicken over once after 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, get one preserved lemon and discard the pulp. Thoroughly rinse the peels to get rid of the excess salt.
Finely chop the preserved lemon peel.
Add the preserved lemon, chopped cilantro and parsley, and olives to the chicken. Stir to incorporate them into the sauce. Return to a simmer, cover, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and add salt to taste.
- 2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise to make 4 fillets (you can use 4 chicken breasts if you prefer a larger serving, you can also use bone-in chicken pieces if you prefer)
- For the marinade:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed and finely minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ cup chicken broth
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 preserved lemon, pulp discarded, peels thoroughly rinsed and finely chopped
- ½ cup pitted or whole Kalamata olives, rinsed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- To make the marinade, combine the olive oil, garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a zip-lock bag and pour the marinade over. Swish around to ensure the chicken is thoroughly coated. Let marinate for at least 4 hours or overnight for maximum flavor.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the chicken and cook just until it turns white, about 2 minutes on each side. Add the broth and any remaining marinade from the zip-lock bag. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, turning the chicken over once after 10 minutes.
- Add the preserved lemon, parsley, cilantro and olives, stir to incorporate into the sauce, cover and simmer for another 15 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice and add salt to taste. Serve immediately with a leafy green salad, couscous or bread.
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Carolyn says
16 April, 2014 at 10:17 amI heart this recipe so much. I keep meaning to try preserved lemons. I am sharing this on my FB page tomorrow!
The Daring Gourmet says
16 April, 2014 at 1:27 pmCarolyn, I really appreciate that! Preserved lemons are incredible and I’ve been experimenting with them a lot lately. I gave quite a few examples of how they can be utilized in my post on How To Make Preserved Lemons but the sky’s the limit in terms of culinary possibilities. Thanks so much for visiting and for the share! Best, Kimberly
Anonymous says
19 January, 2015 at 3:21 pmI have done it 4 times so far. I love it and everyone else loves it too!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
19 January, 2015 at 6:37 pmFantastic! We really love this dish, too – thanks so much for the feedback!
Lois Muzzy says
1 April, 2015 at 11:52 amWhat are your recommended side dishes for this dish?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
1 April, 2015 at 11:59 amHi Lois, couscous is typical. Additionally you can accompany it with grilled or buttered squash or any garden fresh vegetables and a leafy green salad some peppery arugula would be nice).
Valerie says
1 July, 2015 at 5:58 pmKimberly, I wish I had discovered your blog sooner! This recipe blew me away tonight, so much flavor and so many complementary flavors I would have never thought to put together. The preserved lemons are absolutely critical to it all coming together. I’d been patiently waiting for my lemons to preserve. Thanks for the information about how to make those too. My husband who typically avoids olives like the plague cleaned his plate. This is one of the best food blogs for my tastes out there.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
1 July, 2015 at 6:23 pmValerie, you’ve made my day! :) I really appreciate your kind words and am thrilled that you found my site and enjoyed this recipe – thank you!
Faith (An Edible Mosaic) says
21 March, 2016 at 11:47 amWhat a beautiful meal! I love the bright flavors going on…and I’ve been dying to try my hands at preserved lemons for a while now!
Ashley @ Wishes and Dishes says
21 March, 2016 at 11:57 amYou have inspired me to want to cook Moroccan food now! This looks wonderful!
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
21 March, 2016 at 1:35 pmThis is a beautiful dish and I love all of the flavors in this!
Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen says
21 March, 2016 at 4:47 pmOh my gosh, the flavor just comes screaming through these photos – this looks amazing! I love preserved lemons.
Renee - Kudos Kitchen says
22 March, 2016 at 10:01 amThis looks delicious and those preserved lemons are a must! Thanks for all the wonderful step-by-step photos!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
22 March, 2016 at 7:33 pmThose lemons are beautiful! I’ve never made much Moroccan cuisine but now I’m wishing that I had. Better start now because this looks so good!
Kelly @ Nosh and Nourish says
22 March, 2016 at 7:39 pmLooks so flavorful and delish! I am loving all things lemon these days!!
Rose | The Clean Dish says
23 March, 2016 at 12:27 pmI visited Morocco many years ago and I LOVED the cuisine! Plus I grew up with many Moroccans in Germany so I’m familiar with their dishes — and this looks just perfect!! I’m not much of a meat eater these days but I know my hubs is going to adore this dish!
Melanie Maclin says
21 July, 2016 at 5:59 pmMy friend from Morocco made this for me last night. She actually used thighs with skin on and then crisped the skin under a broiler quickly when it was finished. She also cooked potatoes in the same sauce, then seared them before serving. OMG it was all AMAZING. I’m trying this as soon as my preserved lemons are ready.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
22 July, 2016 at 10:25 amThat sounds fantastic, Melanie, and I’m so glad you’ve got your preserved lemons going – Happy Cooking! :)
Melanie Maclin says
24 July, 2016 at 6:43 pmThe results! It turned out amazing and I improvised and cooked potatoes (yukon gold) in the sauce. So good! http://bit.ly/29YGQEV
Melanie Maclin says
24 July, 2016 at 6:45 pmI also used thighs, bone-in like my friend did, and crisped the skin.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
31 July, 2016 at 10:07 pmGood call, Melanie, dark meat always has the most flavor.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
31 July, 2016 at 10:06 pmAwesome!!!! I’m super thrilled to hear that, Melanie, and thanks so much for sharing your delicious creation!
Laura says
10 August, 2016 at 11:21 amMade this recipe last night (had made my preserved lemons a few months ago) and both my husband and I thought it was sublime! Luckily I quadrupled the recipe (had 8 chicken breasts to use!) which apart from the maths headache, meant that we still have leftovers after eating it again for lunch today. And we’re not sharing with anyone :). Thanks for the recipe! Looking forward to trying more of yours.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
10 August, 2016 at 4:32 pmThat’s terrific, Laura, I’m so happy to hear that! And you quadrupled the recipe, that’s awesome! :) Thanks so much for your feedback and I look forward to hearing from you as you try more recipes. Best, Kimberly
Arlene du Cann says
20 October, 2016 at 11:34 pmAbsolutely delicious. Now on my favourite recipe list. Making the preserved lemons a month ago was so easy. This is definitely on my “continue to do” list.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
20 October, 2016 at 11:57 pmThat’s awesome, Arlene, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you! My most recent batch of preserved lemons are now ready too and I’m making this dish again tomorrow :)
hunt says
9 December, 2016 at 11:19 amThe recipe calls for 1 preserved lemon (which I made per your other recipe!)but my lemons are all different sizes! Is there an approximate tablespoon measure once diced? I plan to give this recipe along with a jar of lemons for Christmas gifts.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
9 December, 2016 at 12:34 pmHi Hunt, I would just base it on the average size of grocery store lemons – the small to medium sized ones.
Glyn says
14 December, 2016 at 9:23 amI’m going to make this for tomorrow but I’m going to have to supplement the breast fillet with some thigh fillets as that’s what I have in the fridge… Do you think that will be ok?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
14 December, 2016 at 9:27 amHi Glyn, absolutely yes. Thigh meat has far more flavor than breast anyway, so that’s a terrific choice. Happy cooking and please let us know what you think!
GARY VINEYARD says
25 June, 2017 at 2:38 pmI’m confused…you keep referring to using the rind of the lemons yet in a picture you are using the rind and the pith…no pulp. which is it and thanks.
Gary
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
26 June, 2017 at 10:59 pmHi Gary, you use the rind and pith but discard the pulp.
Melissa says
9 August, 2017 at 5:20 amI made this tonight using a combination of boneless thigh fillets and drumstick, and served with cous cous and toasted pine nuts. This was an incredible dish! Thanks so much for this recipe. This will be a family favourite for years to come and will put our lemon tree / preserved lemons to excellent use.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
9 August, 2017 at 9:19 amWonderful, Melissa, I’m so happy to hear that, thank you!
Dan Greenberg says
16 September, 2017 at 6:37 amThis recipe looks wonderful and we are going to use it for a crowd we have coming over this week. Stupid question: by two breasts you mean one chicken’s worth? That’s what it looks like to me but my wife thinks one chicken = one breast. Can you settle the debate? Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
16 September, 2017 at 9:45 amHi Dan, yes, it’s the referring to one breast from each side of the chicken, so a total of two breasts. I hope you have a great dinner party – let us know what you think!
Cat says
27 November, 2017 at 3:51 pmI made the marinade but I can’t “pour” it because there’s only 2 T of olive oil. In your picture the marinade looks more liquidy. Is there a typo and we should use more than 2T of OO?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
27 November, 2017 at 7:59 pmHi Cat, 2 tablespoons is correct and once you add the marinade to the chicken in a ziplock bag you’ll swish/massage it around to coat the chicken.
Scott Moore says
24 January, 2018 at 11:35 amI had the same thought. Wound up with the thick slurry rather than a liquid marinade. I have not put it in the bag yet, but we’ll stick to the recipe and see how it works out…. did add a couple of extra tablespoons of 00 just to be safe
Robin Nordman says
27 November, 2017 at 6:33 pmI am going ti make this recipe soon .. My Preserved Lemons are 6 months old and a bit mushy .. perfect .. Will add some more garlic and ginger once chicken had been browned .. After 30 minutes in cooking liquid garlic is pretty mild .. 1/2 cup of white wine will be in the pot as well.. Chopped cilantro on top just as it’s served .. Can’t wait ..
Your blog is excellent . Thanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
27 November, 2017 at 7:56 pmThanks so much, Robin, and I hope you enjoy this dish!
Ivan says
17 January, 2018 at 7:27 pmThanks for this amazing recipe…just pickled the lemons and can’t wait to try them in that yummy chicken recipe of yours.
Thanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
17 January, 2018 at 8:14 pmFantastic, Ivan! The hardest part now is waiting for those lemons to be ready…but it’s so worth the wait!
Jennifer says
28 February, 2018 at 4:12 amHi Kimberly,
I love the sound of this recipe. I was wondering if I could add potatoes and green beans would I marinate those in the ziplock bag along with the chicken or just put them in the pot just before II add the chicken? Also would you recommend precooking the potatoes and beans before? Last question, if I wanted to cook it in my tangine how would I do that? In the oven or on the stove top?
Thanks so much for your help.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
28 February, 2018 at 3:13 pmHi Jennifer, I would do the latter (not marinate them) and if the chunks aren’t too loud you shouldn’t need to pre-cook them. I haven’t made this particular dish in a tagine so I’m not sure what the cooking time would be, but generally with a tagine you want to cook it on low, around 325 F, with the dome on and cook until the chicken and potatoes are done, probably at least 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Happy cooking!
Rob says
2 December, 2018 at 7:42 amI just wanted to let you know that we’ve started making this recipe a few years back and it has very quickly become a family favorite. We make it maybe twice a month?
The only alteration we make is just 1 tbl of parsley and no cilantro (only because you can’t get it in South Korea).
We usually have it along with salad and some sort of Middle Eastern Yoghurt dish.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
2 December, 2018 at 8:22 amThat’s wonderful, Rob, thanks so much for the feedback!