Chicken tagine with preserved lemons and olives.

Colder weather is around the corner and all I want is something slowcooked, hearty, and deeply spiced. Chicken tajine is one of those dishes that warms the soul. Bone and chicken is ideal here. Those bones will enrich the sauce as they simmer. The backbone of a tajine is the marinade. It’s built on saffron, and the star of Moroccan cooking, preserved lemons. They’re cured in salt, intensifying the lemons bright citrusy flavor. Some garlic, parsley, and cilantro, and warming spices like turmeric, cumin, and ginger. The longer this sits, the better it gets. Smell test approved. When it’s time to cook, all I do is grate a couple onions. They’ll melt right into the sauce as everything simmers. I start them with turmeric and oil, then layer the chicken on top and let thyme do the rest. As it cooks, the chicken releases its juices, creating a rich, deeply flavorful sauce. I finish it off with more fresh herbs, briny olives, and thinly sliced preserved lemon peel. This is so comforting, yet it’s bright and balanced from all that lemon. And best enjoyed with some crusty bread to build your bite and to mop up every last drop of that sauce. That’s just comfort on a plate.