Lemon-Saffron Chicken (Tangia)
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total timeIngredients
5 teaspoons ground cumin, divided
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and patted dry
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped
12 medium garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
3 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 3 pieces
½ cup pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest, plus ¼ cup lemon juice
Directions
1. In a small bowl, stir together 2 teaspoons of cumin and 2 teaspoons salt. Set aside. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 3 teaspoons cumin, the turmeric, ginger and coriander, then cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 1½ cups water and the saffron, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle the chicken in the liquid, turning to coat. Cover, reduce to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes at a gentle simmer.
3. Using tongs, turn the chicken. Cover and continue cooking until tender, another 25 minutes. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate. Bring the liquid to a simmer over medium-high and cook, stirring, until thickened, 10 to 14 minutes.
4. Return the chicken to the pot and stir. The chicken will break up a bit. Off heat, add the butter, stirring until melted, then stir in the olives and lemon zest and juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter and serve, sprinkling with the cumin-salt mixture to taste.
Notes
Don’t reduce the amount of lemon zest or juice. The zest provides both flavor and fragrance, and the juice adds tang and acidity. You’ll need 3 to 4 lemons to get 3 tablespoons grated zest; a wand-style grater works best.
Tangia—which originates in Marrakech and often is slow-cooked in the community wood-fired ovens that heat bathhouses—is a stew-like dish of fall-apart tender hunks of lamb bathed in a thick, but spare broth rich with saffron, turmeric, cumin, ginger, garlic and lemon. We got a lesson in cooking tangia the traditional way from taxi driver Youssef Boufelja. Lamb is typical, but we use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. In Morocco, preserved lemons lend a gentle acidity, lightening the richness. For an easier version, we get similar flavor from lemon zest and juice—as well as chopped green olives for brininess—added at the end of cooking. Serve with warmed, halved pita bread for scooping up the meat and thickened sauce.
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