Recipe

Chicken Tagine with Olives and Sour Orange

Name: Chicken Tagine with Olives and Sour Orange
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 85 min
Ingredients: 1 kg bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (raw weight); 2 large onions (about 300 g in total), cut into thin strips; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 15 g fresh ginger, grated; 120 g pitted green olives, drained and rinsed (drained weight); 45 ml strained sour orange juice, to be added little by little; 250 ml low-sodium chicken stock; 30 ml olive oil; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric; ½ teaspoon ground cumin; ¼ teaspoon black pepper; 4 g salt, adjusting according to the olives; 10 g chopped fresh parsley or cilantro; Prepared couscous; Prepared white rice

A Maghreb-Cuba fusion stew: chicken simmered gently with onion, ginger, spices and green olives, finished with sour orange juice.

CiberCubaNovember 7, 2026

AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Preparation20 min
Cooking1 h 5 min
Total time1 h 25 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyEasy

This stew is a contemporary fusion adaptation. Its base is inspired by the family of Maghrebi chicken tagines with olives: slow, covered cooking, plenty of onion, ginger, turmeric and cumin. The Cuban touch comes at the end with the sour orange juice, the fruit we use in Cuba in mojos and marinades.

It is not a historical Moroccan recipe or a traditional Cuban dish. It is a home-cooked version that brings the two cuisines together. In this version, the sauce is based on onion, spices, olives and sour orange.

You don't need a clay tagine. A heavy, wide pot with a lid works perfectly.

Method

Prepare and measure everything before you begin: cut the onions into thin strips, chop the garlic, grate the ginger, rinse and drain the olives, and squeeze and strain the sour orange until you have 45 ml of juice. Keep the turmeric, cumin, pepper and salt measured out in small bowls.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Pat the chicken dry well with paper towels and season it with half of the salt (2 g) and the pepper. Heat the oil in the wide pot over medium-high heat and brown the thighs on both sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer them to a plate and set aside their juices.
Lower the heat to medium-low, add the onions to the same pot and cook them for about 10 minutes, stirring, until soft. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 more minute.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Add the turmeric and cumin, stir for a few seconds so they release their aroma without burning, and pour in the stock right away. Return the chicken with its juices and arrange it in a single layer over the onion.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Cover and cook over low heat for 35–40 minutes, at a gentle simmer, never a hard boil. If it dries out too much, add hot water in small amounts. Check that the center of the chicken reaches 74 °C/165 °F, measuring away from the bone, and extend the cooking time if needed.
Uncover, add the olives and 30 ml of the sour orange juice. Cook for another 8–10 minutes with the pot partially uncovered, until the sauce thickens a little and coats the spoon. Taste and, only if it needs more brightness, add the remaining 15 ml: the acidity of this fruit varies a lot.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Adjust the salt at the end with the reserved remainder, only if needed. Scatter the parsley or cilantro and serve the chicken with the onion, olives and sauce, accompanied, if you like, by couscous or white rice prepared separately.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Tips and variations

Salt control: the olives and the stock add salt. Rinse the olives well, use low-sodium stock and hold back half of the salt to adjust at the end, only if needed.

Sour orange: its acidity varies a lot from one fruit to another. Add the juice little by little and taste before adding the rest. Squeeze it fresh and strain the juice to remove seeds and pulp. Avoid the white part of the peel, which turns bitter.

Doneness of the chicken: if you have a thermometer, measure at the thickest part of the thigh, without touching the bone. It should reach 74 °C/165 °F.

Side dish: couscous or white rice is prepared separately and is not included in the recipe's timings.

Storage: let it cool and store it in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, within 2 hours. It keeps for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat with a splash of water and add the fresh herbs when serving.