Chicken Lemon & Olive Tagine

.A delicious zesty, yet slightly salty meal that will suit the whole family and impress your dinner guests. Serves 4 hungry people.

Ingredients

For the Tagine

• 8 chicken drumsticks
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon Celtic salt
• 1 tablespoon ghee or butter
• 2 medium red onions, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 teaspoon turmeric (freshly grated or powder)
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon chilli flakes or 1 fresh chilli, diced
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 750ml chicken stock or chicken bone broth
• 2 whole lemons, washed and halved
• 40–50g green pitted olives
• Handful of fresh coriander, chopped

For the Tunisian Rice

• 600g basmati white rice
• 200g butter
• 1.5 litres filtered water
• 1 teaspoon Celtic salt

Method

1. Place the chicken drumsticks in a bowl with the plain flour, smoked paprika, and Celtic salt. Rub the mixture in well, coating each piece evenly.
2. Heat the ghee or butter in a tagine dish or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Add the coated drumsticks and seal them until lightly browned on all sides.
3. Add the sliced red onions and crushed garlic cloves to the pan, stirring gently.
4. Sprinkle in the cumin seeds, turmeric, coriander powder, chilli flakes (or fresh chilli), and ground ginger. Stir well to coat everything with the spices.
5. Pour in the chicken stock or bone broth, ensuring the drumsticks are mostly covered.
6. Add the halved lemons and green olives to the pan.
7. Cover and simmer gently for 45–50 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
8. Stir in the fresh coriander just before serving.
9. For the Tunisian rice: Bring the filtered water to a boil in a separate pot with the Celtic salt. Add the basmati rice and stir. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15–18 minutes until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed. Stir through the butter until well combined.
10. Serve the tagine over the fluffy Tunisian rice.