Chicken Drumstick Tagine with Olives

Ingredients

• 8 pieces Chicken drumsticks (cleaned with salt and lemon)
• 30 ml Olive oil (a drizzle for cooking)
• 1 pinch Salt
• 1 unit Lemon (juice to clean the chicken)
• 1 medium Onion (sliced)
• 3 cloves Garlic (crushed)
• 2 units Carrots (sliced into rounds)
• 1 leaf Bay leaf
• 250 ml Water or chicken broth (to cover the drumsticks)
• 100 g Pitted green olives (for the sauce)
• 200 g Button mushrooms (sliced)
• 30 g Butter (to brush before the oven)
• 2 tbsp Fresh parsley (chopped, for garnish)
• 1 tsp Spices (cumin, paprika, ginger, black pepper) (to taste)

Instructions

1. Clean the chicken

   Rub the chicken drumsticks with salt and the juice of one lemon, rinse quickly and pat dry with paper towels.

   Time: PT10M

2. Brown the drumsticks

   Heat 30 ml of olive oil in the sauté pan over medium‑high heat. Add the drumsticks and brown them 5 minutes on each side until well colored.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: 180°C

3. Sauté onion and garlic

   Add the sliced onion and crushed garlic to the same pan. Sauté for 5 minutes until translucent.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: 180°C

4. Simmer with carrots and bay leaf

   Stir in the carrot rounds and the bay leaf, pour in 250 ml of water or chicken broth, cover and simmer over medium heat for 25 minutes.

   Time: PT25M

   Temperature: Medium

5. Oven cooking

   Transfer the drumsticks and cooking juices to an oven‑proof dish. Brush the pieces with softened butter. Bake at 200°C for 25 minutes until the skin is golden and the meat is tender.

   Time: PT25M

   Temperature: 200°C

6. Prepare the olive and mushroom sauce

   In a small saucepan, sauté the pitted olives and sliced mushrooms with a drizzle of olive oil for 5 minutes. Add a little water or broth, let reduce and thicken for 10 minutes.

   Time: PT15M

   Temperature: Medium

7. Plating

   Arrange the drumsticks on a serving platter, drizzle with olive‑mushroom sauce, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve immediately.

   Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

520

Protein

35 g

Carbohydrates

15 g

Fat

30 g

Fiber

4 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Chicken drumsticks: Chicken thighs
• Instead of Olive oil: sunflower oil
• Instead of Lemon: apple cider vinegar
• Instead of Onion: shallot
• Instead of Garlic: garlic powder
• Instead of Carrots: zucchini
• Instead of Water or chicken broth: water + broth cube
• Instead of Pitted green olives: capers
• Instead of Button mushrooms: porcini, shiitake
• Instead of Butter: olive oil
• Instead of Fresh parsley: coriander
• Instead of Spices (cumin, paprika, ginger, black pepper): ras el hanout

Equipment Needed

• Sauté pan (heavy‑bottomed saucepan)
• Oven‑proof dish (earthenware or metal)
• Oven
• Chef's knife
• Cutting board
• Wooden spoon
• Kitchen tongs
• Measuring cup (optional)
• Small saucepan for the sauce

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Brown the drumsticks before cooking to develop flavor.
• Brush the chicken with butter before the oven step to achieve a crispy skin.
• Reduce the olive‑mushroom sauce until it reaches a coating consistency.

Chef Tips from the Video

• Add a pinch of ras el hanout with the spices to enhance the Moroccan profile.
• Replace green olives with black olives for a milder note.
• Serve the tagine with couscous or pita bread to soak up the sauce.

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days.

Freezer: The dish freezes up to 2 months; thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• The chicken can be browned the day before and simply reheated in the oven before serving.
• The olive‑mushroom sauce can be prepared ahead and gently reheated at plating time.