Chicken tagine with olives and preserved lemon

Let’s make it

1. Rub the chicken with the garlic, ginger, turmeric, pepper, half the salt and a third of the oil. Cover and marinate in the fridge for 1 hour.
2. Steep the saffron in a small splash of the measured warm water. Rinse the preserved lemons, remove the pulp and cut the rind into strips. Rinse the olives if very salty.
3. Warm the remaining oil in a tagine or heavy casserole. Add the onions and cook gently for 10 minutes until soft.
4. Add the chicken, saffron water, remaining water and half the herbs. Turn the pieces to coat them, then cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes, turning once.
5. Add the preserved lemon rind and olives. Cook for another 15–20 minutes until the chicken is tender and reaches 74°C in the thickest part, away from the bone.
6. Lift out the chicken if the sauce needs reducing. Simmer the sauce uncovered until the onion has softened into it, then return the chicken and finish with the remaining herbs. Taste before using the remaining salt.
7. Serve with Moroccan bread for the sauce.