1. Clean the chicken thighs and pat them dry. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

2. Peel the onions and the garlic and cut the onions into wedges. Clean the bell peppers, remove the seeds and membranes and cut them into strips. Cut the preserved lemon into wedges or thin slices. Have the other ingredients ready for cooking.

3. Heat up a Dutch oven* with some olive oil. Fry the chicken thighs until they are nicely browned all over – this takes about 5-6 minutes. Remove the chicken thighs from the Dutch oven and place them in the Tajine*.

4. Add some more oil to the Dutch oven (if needed) and sauté the onions, garlic, and bell pepper for a few minutes until everything has softened and got some color. Add the veggies to the Tajine as well.

5. Next, pour the veggie stock over the meat and veggies inside the Tajine, then add the olives and preserved lemon on top. Sprinkle the Za’atar on everything and season with some more salt and pepper. Close the Tajine and place it in the cold oven. Set the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F) fan-forced and cook the meat and veggies for about 60-70 minutes. The chicken is done when it reaches a temperature of about 85°C (185°F) – this can be easily measured with a meat thermometer*.

6. Just before the Tajine is ready, prepare the couscous. Peel and finely dice the onion. Heat the oil in a small saucepan and sauté the onion until soft and glossy – takes about 2 minutes. Add the harissa paste and cook briefly with the onions, then add the couscous and cook for a minute, stirring constantly. Deglaze the couscous with the veggie stock and bring it to a boil briefly, then remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper and let the couscous sit for about 5 minutes. Finely chop the mint and mix about half of it into the couscous – use the rest for decorations.

7. Remove the Tajine from the oven. Be careful here and do not place the Tajine on a cold surface. Not all (ceramic) Tajines are fine with large temperature differences. Serve the chicken and veggies with the Tajine and the couscous separately, so everyone can help themselves, or simply arrange the food on plates. We like to serve the Tajine with small dishes, bread, and something to dip on the side.