For ➍1 kg chicken in pieces*
2 quinces
2 yellow or white onions
2 tbs sunflower oil
for the charmoula marinade:
2 tbs olive oil
1 ts turmeric powder
1 ts ginger powder
½ ts cumin powder
¼ ts cardamom powder
½ ts pepper
1 ts paprika powder
1½ ts salt zest of ½ preserved lemon
juice of ½ preserved lemon
pinch of saffron, toasted
1 tbs chopped parsley
1 tbs chopped coriander
5 cl of water
Make the charmoula: chop the zest of your pickled lemon very finely. Squeeze out the pulp with your hands. Saffron threads are crushed into small pieces. Mix with the other herbs, spices and olive oil in a bowl. Heat your tajine** until hot.
Cut onions in half and then into slices. Cut quinces into 6-8 wedges. Pour the sunflower oil into your tajine****. Add the onion slices and make sure they are evenly distributed over the tajine.
Then divide the quince wedges over it. Sprinkle the rest of the charmoula over the tajine with a spoon.
Put the tajine** on a low heat. Let it stew for at least 1 h.
Check after 30 m whether there is still enough moisture in the tajine, as the onions release moisture. If necessary, add a little water.
Serve the tajine warm and traditionally with bread.***
*Cook the recipe with pieces of rabbit. You might to adjust the cooking time.
**For those who don't have a tajine: you can follow the steps above in a sturdy casserole.
Or bake in the oven:: bake the chicken golden brown in a pan and then mix it with half of the charmoula. Take a casserole and place half of your onions in it, then place the chicken, the rest of your onions, the quinces, the rest of your charmoula and the water. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30-45 m.
***Or serve with couscous, rice, bulgur or other grains. In the latter case pay close attention to the moisture level, you will probably have to add the entire 5 cl of water or even more.
