Moroccan Chicken Tagine (Chicken Tagine Mchermel )

Method

1. Combine the spice mix ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
2. Zest the lemon and mince the garlic. Combine 1 tsp of the minced garlic & 1 tsp of the lemon zest. Set aside.
3. Season the chicken pieces (drained and dried) with 1 T salt and dash of pepper, half of the spice mix, and 4 tbsp flour.
4. In a wide saucepan, pan-fry the chicken pieces until they are golden brown on the outside.
5. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.
6. On the same pan, sauté onions until they are brown at the edges. (add more oil if necessary)
7. Add the remaining minced garlic, stir until fragrant. Add the remaining spice mix and 1 tbsp flour, stirring constantly until fragrant.
8. Stir in the broth, honey, remaining lemon zest, saffron liquid, and salt.  Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits.
9. Add the chicken with the accumulated juices back in the stew.
10. Throw in the halved lemon without squeezing the juice (you may do so at the end if you want to add more sour taste to the stew).
11. Reduce the heat to med-low, cover and simmer for 10-12 min.
12. Add the carrots, cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through and the carrots are tender crisp.
13. Stir in the olives, reserved lemon zest-garlic mixture, and chopped cilantro.
14. Adjust seasoning with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
15. Serve warm with cous cous, pita bread, or the traditional Moroccan khobz bread.