Moroccan · Main course
Khenifra Berber Chicken & Saffron Tagine
Khenifra is the heartland of the Zayane Berbers in the Middle Atlas, and its cooks make an unfussy, deeply savoury chicken tagine gilded with saffron and thickened with plenty of slow-cooked onion. Cooked over embers in the mountains, it relies on good free-range chicken and patience rather than a long ingredient list.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 75 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
- 1 free-range chicken, jointed
- 4 onions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp saffron threads, steeped
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp smen or butter
- 1 bunch coriander, tied
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Salt to taste
Method
- 1
Coat
Toss the chicken with the onions, saffron, ginger, pepper, salt, olive oil and smen in the pot.
- 2
Sweat
Cover and cook over low heat 20 minutes, letting the onions melt and give up their liquid.
- 3
Braise
Add the tied coriander and a little water, cover, and simmer 30 minutes until the chicken is tender.
- 4
Reduce
Discard the coriander and reduce the onions to a soft, golden confit around the meat.
- 5
Brighten
Finish with a squeeze of lemon.
- 6
Serve
Serve from the tagine with bread to scoop the oniony sauce.
Chef's tips
- A knob of smen (aged butter) gives the authentic Berber funk; use plain butter if you prefer it milder.
- Slice the onions thin so they collapse completely into the sauce.
- Free-range or beldi chicken has far more flavour and stands up to the slow cook.
Frequently asked questions
What is smen?
Smen is Moroccan aged, salted butter with a strong, cheesy aroma. A little enriches tagines and couscous; it's especially loved in Berber mountain cooking.
Do I need a clay tagine?
No — any heavy lidded pot works. The clay vessel holds gentle, even heat but the method is the same in a Dutch oven.