Moroccan Chicken and Olives

Lunch in the garden in the sun (yes some actual sun) with friends yesterday. A day later and I am writing this in front of the first log fire of autumn. Don't think I would have moved far today even if it was sunny again as we declared the early start of celebrations for a certain birthday yesterday evening and enjoyed, between two of us, the best bottle of red wine we've had this year -  a 2004 premiere cru Chateau Sant Augustin from Tunisia. Thank you Wilma and Paul! ..... I probably should add that we did also treat ourselves to a prefectly cooked, aged piece of fillet beef to accompany the wine.

Based on this recipe from Jenny Morris the below was enough for 6 adults with not much left over. Serve on a bed of plain cous cous and a green salad. A simple Balsamic and olive oil salad dressing did give a needed hint of sweetness.


4 packs of skinned, boned, chicken thigh (between 16 and 20 actual thighs) cut into large bite size chunks and season well with pepper

2 inches fresh ginger finely chopped
8 cloves garlic roughly chopped (NOT crushed)

2 bunches of spring onions, including tops, cut into shortish lengths (I'm talking cutting into four the short thin spring onions we get in the UK - otherwise roughly chop about 8)
330g jar of pitted green olives in brine drained and halved.
2 medium sized preserved lemons finely chopped (I used 3, and should have used 4, from the jar I had. Think about the size of fresh lemons and guage from there)
2 oz butter and 2 tbsp rapeseed oil cold pressed if you have it

Herbs - chopped:

4 tbsps fresh coriander

4 tbsps flat-leaf parsley

4 tbsps dill (or 3 tbsps fennel leaves)

4 tbsps mint

4 tbsps chives

4 tbsps basil

Fry the chicken thighs in oil in batches - 5 minutes for each batch. For the last two batches include the ginger and garlic.[Put each cooked batch into a large pan, or flame proof casserole dish, that is on a low heat]

Turn up the heat under the pan with the chicken in it and add the spring onions, olives, preserved lemon, butter and oil. Cook for a further 5 minutes stirring frequently.

Stit in the herbs, remove from the heat and leave for 5 minutes for the flavours of the herbs to infuse This happens to be the amount of time it takes to prepare the cous-cous. More than 5 minutes will not harm by any means!


Serve on a bed of plain cous cous and a green salad. From my point of view, a simple Balsamic and olive oil salad dressing did give a needed hint of sweetness.