• 3 large onions, grated or finely chopped
• 1 whole large chicken prepared into pieces (leg, thigh, breast etc)
• 1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon saffron
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon butter
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Olive oil (preferably Morrocan olive oil)
• 2 preserved lemons
• I handful pinky red and green olives
• 1 large bunch fresh coriander / cilantro, chopped
• Salt
• Black pepper

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in the bottom of a large frying pan, Dutch oven, or flame-proof casserole. Add the onions, and cook gently until transparent. Remove the onion, and set aside. Increase the heat, add the chicken and cook for a few minutes on each side to color the chicken. Take off the heat. Add chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons olive oil, cumin, saffron, ginger, salt and pepper. Mix well.

For cooking use a tagine (traditional Moroccan dish) or a deep, heavy bottom casserole dish. Drop in the butter, chicken, onions and spices and pour over the lemon juice and 2 glasses of water. Cook in medium hot preheated oven (200°C / Gas 6 / 400°F) for 45 minutes to one hour, covered.

Remove the pulp from the preserved lemon and discard. Rinse the peel and dice. Add the preserved lemon, olives, and coriander / cilantro to the chicken, cover and cook in the oven another 15 minutes or until cooked through.

Sprinkle fresh coriander / cilantro leaves on top of the chicken. Serve hot with ‘tagine’ bread (thick yeast bread).