Easy Chicken Tajine with Olives and Artichoke Hearts

I don't know if this chicken dish really qualifies as tajine. First of all, I do not cook it in a tajine pot, but in a Dutch oven. Second, it doesn't incorporate all the traditional spices and ingredients you would find in a real Moroccan tajine. However, it is clearly tajine-style: the chicken thighs are braised then slow cooked with cumin, paprika and saffron, lemon juice and olives (either black or green will work). I also add artichoke hearts because I love all those flavors together.

Serves 4-6

• 1 tablespoon olive oil = 1 cuillère à soupe d'huile d'olive
• 6 bone-in chicken thighs (about 2 lbs), patted dry and seasoned with salt and pepper = 6 cuisses de poulet (environ 900 g), assaisonnées avec du sel et du poivre
• 2 onions, chopped = 2 oignons, coupés en morceaux
• 4 garlic cloves, minced = 4 gousses d'ail, émincées
• 1 cup chicken broth or water = 240 ml de bouillon de poulet
• 1 cup water = 240 ml d'eau
• 2 teaspoons paprika = 2 cuillères à café de paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin = 1 cuillère à café de cumin
• ¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crushed = ¼ cuillère à café de safran
• Pinch cayenne pepper = une pincée de poivre de cayenne
• ½ teaspoon salt = ½ cuillère à café de sel
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper = ¼ cuillère à café de poivre
• Juice from 1 lemon = jus d'un citron
• 10 oz. canned artichoke hearts, drained and cut in halves or quarters = 300 g de coeurs d'artichauts (en boite), égouttés et coupés en 2 ou 4
• 4 oz. black olives, pitted and sliced = 100 g d'olives, dénoyautées et coupées
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro = quelques feuilles de persil ou de coriandre

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs to pan, brown 4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Add onion and garlic, stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add broth and water, spices, salt and pepper, lemon juice and artichoke hearts to pan. Place browned chicken thighs back in the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer on low, covered, for about 45 minutes.

Remove lid and increase heat to medium-high, cook, uncovered, until liquid has reduced by half (about 10-15 minutes). Stir in olives. Reduce heat, and simmer 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro. Serve over hot couscous. Enjoy!