After making a big batch of preserved lemons a few months ago, I realized I'd need to figure out some ways to use them up! This recipe a new favorite — it's a riff on a classic Middle Eastern tagine of slow-cooked chicken, artichokes, and preserved lemon, but cooked in a regular baking dish instead of the classic tagine baking dish. If you're looking for a recipe to warm your kitchen and fill your home with the mouthwatering aromas, this is the one.

Tester's NotesWhat I really wish I could share with you is the aroma of the spices in this dish as the chicken bakes in the oven — the way the savory combination of the cinnamon, cloves, cumin, and lemon permeate my kitchen. It's the kind of scent you just don't want to ever go away.
It came as no surprise to me that this dish tasted just as good as it smelled. And all of that from a recipe with ingredients tossed together in one bowl, then spread in a single baking dish! With such a short prep time and so few dishes, this is the kind of meal that almost seems too good to be true. Thankfully it's not.
- Kelli, September 2015

Baked Chicken with Artichokes, Cinnamon, and Preserved Lemons
Serves 4

2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 preserved lemon, rinsed, seeds and insides removed, rind chopped
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cumin 
1 teaspoon sweet or hot paprika
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 large pinch saffron
1 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed

Preheat oven to 425°F.


Combine all the ingredients in a 9x13 baking dish (or similar), and stir to mix thoroughly. Put the dish in the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through and registers 165°F. Serve over couscous.