Moroccan · Main course
Djaj Mhammer (Saffron & Smen Braised Chicken)
Mhammer means 'reddened', and djaj mhammer is chicken braised in a concentrated saffron, ginger and paprika sauce enriched with smen until the skin takes on a deep russet glow. Unlike the brothy chicken tagine, this one is reduced to an almost dry, glossy coating and often finished under the grill or crowned with fried potatoes, olives and preserved lemon.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 70 min
- Total
- 95 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (about 1.4 kg), left whole or jointed
- 2 onions, finely grated
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp turmeric, black pepper
- Generous pinch of saffron, bloomed in warm water
- 1 tbsp smen (or butter) and 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 preserved lemon, rind sliced
- 100 g red or violet olives
- 1 small bunch coriander and parsley, tied
- Salt
Method
- 1
Marinate
Rub the chicken all over with the grated onion, garlic, ginger, paprika, turmeric, pepper, saffron water and salt. Rest at least 30 minutes.
- 2
Braise
Warm the smen and oil in a heavy pot, add the chicken with its marinade, the herb bundle and about 200 ml water. Cover and braise on low, turning and basting, for 45–55 minutes until tender.
- 3
Reduce to a glaze
Lift the chicken out and boil the sauce hard until it reduces to a thick, red, oily coating — this concentration is what 'mhammer' means. Return the chicken and roll it in the sauce.
- 4
Colour the skin
Slide the coated chicken under a hot grill (or brown it in the pot) for a few minutes until the skin is deep russet and burnished.
- 5
Finish and serve
Scatter with the preserved-lemon rind and olives, discard the herb bundle, and serve with bread or fried potatoes.
Chef's tips
- The point of difference from a tagine is the reduction — cook the sauce down until it clings, not pools.
- Smen brings the authentic deep, savoury funk; butter is a milder stand-in.
- Grilling the glazed chicken at the end gives the characteristic burnished, almost lacquered skin.
Frequently asked questions
What does mhammer mean?
'Mhammer' translates roughly as reddened or browned. It refers to dishes cooked in a reduced, paprika-and-saffron sauce until they take on a deep red-brown colour, then often browned or grilled at the end.
How is djaj mhammer different from chicken tagine?
Chicken tagine keeps a loose, brothy sauce for dipping bread. Mhammer reduces that sauce to a thick, glossy glaze coating the meat, and the chicken is usually browned so the skin turns deep russet.