Tajine Zitoune (Chicken Tagine with Olives): Algerian Recipe

5.0 from 3 votes

Tajine Zitoune (chicken tagine with olives), is an Algerian recipe that consists of chicken in an aromatic sauce with olives, carrots and cinnamon, among other things. The chicken cooked over medium heat is tender and juicy, very tasty and aromatic. Delicious with warm bread to dip in to the sauce.

Why make this Tajine Zitoune recipe?

This Tajine Zitoune recipe is typical from Algeria. Tagine means clay or ceramic pot, it is the “pot” in which this recipe is usually cooked. But don't worry if you don't have a Tagine because you can make it in a regular pot. Zitoune means olives, an ingredient widely used in Algeria, as they are large producers of olives and olive oil.

Tajine Zitoune is an easy recipe to make. The ingredients are put together in a pot (or in a Tajine if you have one), and let it cook over medium (or low) heat. The result is a mouth-watering dish without having to spend hours in the kitchen.

This recipe, in addition to the fact that you are going to love it, is very healthy. It has a lot of olives, which are high in vitamins, healthy fats and antioxidants and the chicken provides the necessary proteins.

Below I share my version of Tajine Zitoune.

Ingredients you need to make this Tajine Zitoune recipe

To make this Algerian Tajine Zitoune, you need few ingredients, most of them you probably already have at home. Maybe what you are missing is half a kilo of green olives, not everyone has that amount of olives at home!

• Chicken in pieces: you need half a chicken in pieces or the chicken parts with bones that you like the most, for example chicken thighs
• Green olives: you need 500 grams of pitted green olives, there are many places where you can buy olives by weight
• Carrots: you will use 3 carrots cut into slices
• Onion: you need a very finely chopped white onion
• Garlic: one clove of garlic pressed or chopped very finely
• Cinnamon powder: to give a delicious and exotic flavor to Tajine Zitoune, use a teaspoon of cinnamon powder.
• Cinnamon stick: use a cinnamon stick for an extra rich aroma
• Cube of vegetable broth: you need a vegetable broth cube (a chicken broth cube also works)
• Water: You need just enough water to cover the chicken, do not add too much because you will end up with a very liquid sauce. If the chicken pieces you use are very large, it will be better for the water to be a little below the chicken and after a while you turn the chicken. In any case, the chicken will cook with the steam.
• Fresh parsley: you need about 1/4 cup of chopped parsley to add to the chicken with olives, save a little bit to decorate the dishes
• Olive oil: you need a splash of olive oil to sauté the onion
• Salt and pepper: add salt and pepper to taste

Kitchen utensils you need to make this recipe

One of the things I love about making this Tajine Zitoune recipe is that it's quick and easy, and you don't need to use a lot of kitchen utensils. To make this delicious and easy recipe you need to have the following kitchen utensils:

• Cutting board: you need a cutting board to cut the vegetables
• Knife: use your favorite knife to chop the vegetables
• Garlic press: use a garlic press if you have one, if not, simply mince the garlic very finely
• Pot: use a pot with a lid to make the Tajine Zitoune
• Small pan: you need a small pot to boil the olives to remove the bitter taste they may have
• Wooden spoon: you need a wooden spoon to stir the ingredients
• Kitchen scale: you might want to have a kitchen scale on hand to weigh the olives
• Frying pan: optionally, you can brown the chicken in a pan once the Tajine Zitoune is ready

How to make Tajine Zitoune

Making this Tajine Zitoune recipe is very easy. This recipe serves 4 people, although if you see that half a chicken is not enough, you can increase the quantity without any problem.

Heat the pot with a splash of olive oil and add the chopped onion. Soften it for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Next, add the chicken, the carrots cut into slices, the pressed garlic, the teaspoon of cinnamon, a cinnamon stick, almost all of the parsley (save a little to decorate), crumble the stock cube, salt and pepper to taste, add water until you cover the chicken and put the lid on the pot.

Meanwhile, put the olives in a small pot and add cold water. Boil the olives for 5-6 minutes (count the time since the water boils) and remove the water when this time has passed. Repeat the process again: add cold water to the olives and boil them again for about 5-6 minutes. By boiling the olives, you remove the bitter taste they have.

When you have the olives ready, add them to the pot with the chicken and other ingredients. Cover the pot again and leave it on medium heat for about 30 minutes. Test to see if you need to adjust the salt and once it's good, you have the option of removing the chicken and grilling it for a few minutes or serving it as is. It's delicious either way.

If you want to brown the chicken, heat a frying pan with a few drops of oil and brown it for a few minutes on each side, this way the skin will be crispy and golden.

Serve it with the sauce with olives and decorate it with the parsley you have saved. Make sure you have some fresh loaves of bread to dip in to the aromatic sauce.

Frequently asked questions

Below I answer some frequently asked questions, if you do not find the answer, you can leave a comment below. I will be happy to resolve any doubt.

Can I use another type of meat to make this recipe?

Instead of using chicken, you can make this recipe with lamb, beef, and you can even use meatballs. Make minced meat balls and add them instead of the chicken.

Can I make this recipe into a recipe that is vegetarian or vegan?

Yes, you can replace the meat with, for example, chickpeas. This way you will have both a vegetarian and vegan Tajine Zitoune.

¿Esta receta se puede hacer con antelación?

Tajine Zitoune is a very good recipe to make the day before. In fact, like many foods, it is tastier the next day.

How do I store the leftovers?

You can store leftovers in a tightly closed container for about 3 days in the refrigerator.

What do I serve Tajine Zitoune with?

At my place we always accompany it with freshly made bread, it's our favorite. But it can also be served with couscous or rice.

Save this Tajine Zitoune recipe on Pinterest!

Save this recipe on Pinterest so that you won't lose it. Like this, when you go are going to make it, you don't go crazy looking for this recipe on the website. You just have to click on the Pinterest button below where it says “Spread the love”, and this recipe will automatically be saved on a board on your Pinterest account.

If you like this Algerian recipe, check out the following recipes

If you like this recipe, you will probably also love the following Algerian recipes:

• You are going to love this easy recipe to make Chicken with Chickpeas in a delicious homemade tomato sauce (Chtitha Djedj). It's an Algerian recipe that you can prepare in an hour or less, making it ideal for days when you don't have much time to cook, but want to serve a nutritious and delicious meal.
• Try this recipe to make Algerian Dolma, it's zucchini and potatoes stuffed with minced meat in a simple but delicious sauce. It's easy to make, healthy and above all delicious.
• If you love pizza, you can't miss this Pizza Carrée. It's a pizza with a delicious base, it's different from the ones you have tried, and has a very basic tomato sauce on top. It's decorated with black olives and no matter how simple it may seem, you will love it. You can add cheese, tuna or any ingredient you fancy.
• If you prefer Cocas, try this Algerian Coca, filled with a spiced tomato and onion sauce. You can add ingredients such as pieces of chicken breast or cheese.
• And of course, don't forget to accompany this dish with freshly baked bread like these Baguettes or these Crunchy Bread Rolls.

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