This right here is the BEST Moroccan Chicken recipe you will find! Super succulent, fall-off-the-bone tender chicken stew w/ warm Moroccan spices, lemons, olives & dried fruit. No ordinary chicken dinner, this easy one-pot wonder will surprise your taste buds in the best way possible. Be sure to watch the video and grab all my tips below!
More Recipes to Try: Spicy Couscous with Shrimp and Chorizo; Easy Vegetable Tagine; One-Pot Chicken and Rice; Greek Chicken Souvlaki; Ratatouille
If you’re anything like me, chicken makes your dinner rotation fairly regularly. It’s readily available and relatively cheap, plus, who doesn’t like a comforting chicken dinner? But this is no ordinary chicken dinner. This Moroccan chicken recipe takes things to a new level of deliciousness.
Let me explain what you’re looking at here. Moroccan chicken is essentially stewed or braised chicken with deep, lovely flavors from a special Moroccan spice rub (which I tell you all about in a second), along with aromatics, fresh lemons (or preserved lemons, if you have some), and green olives. And as Moroccans are known to do, we add in some dried fruits to balance things out. I chose a mixture of raisins and dried apricots.
Some may call this chicken tagine, but your really don’t need a special tagine pot to arrive at an authentic taste using just a heavy-based casserole pan or braiser. This is easy to make and the result is fall-off-the-bone tender, super succulent chicken boasting unique warm flavors that will have you returning for more!
Spice Rub for Moroccan Chicken
The flavoring process begins with a special spice rub with cinnamon, sweet paprika, ginger, and Ras El Hanout (or Raz El Hanout), which is really the star spice here. If you’re not familiar, Ras El Hanout (or Raz El Hanout) is a complex aromatic North African spice blend, mostly associated with Moroccan cuisine. Our all-natural Ras El Hanout is pungent, combining warm flavors like turmeric, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, ginger, mace, nutmeg, and a touch of cayenne. (Find Ras El Hanout Here)
How to Make This Moroccan Chicken Recipe
1. First, pat the chicken dry. Season lightly with salt (remember, you will be adding olives later, so easy on the salt.) Then apply the spice rub all over the chicken. Leave it at room temperature for 40-45 minutes to marinate. If you have the time, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
2. Heat a bit of quality EVOO over medium high heat until shimmering but not smoking, then brown the chicken well on both sides. If you left skin on, begin with browning the skin side first, then turn over. (Word to the wise, utilize something like this mesh splatter screen.)
3. Lower heat and add onions, garlic and cilantro. Let those sweat some, then add the lemons, olives, dried fruit. Finally add the liquid. Cover and let cook for 30 to 45 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked through and registers and internal temperature of at least 165 degrees F.
For garnish, I like to add more fresh cilantro and toasted almonds.
What to Serve Along?
I often serve this Moroccan chicken tagine with plain couscous (super easy to make following the package instructions). You can try your favorite grain or Lebanese rice instead, if you like. And to start the meal, simply serve a fresh Mediterranean salad.
A few Tips
1. You can use boneless and skinless chicken to make this recipe. Be sure to adjust your cooking time down accordingly; boneless chicken will cook more quickly. I prefer to use boneless thighs here than boneless chicken breasts, but both will work. Depending on how many pieces you use, you may not use the entire spice rub amount.
2. If you have the time, refrigerate the spiced chicken for 2 hours or overnight, if you’re looking for more pronounced flavor.
3. Store leftovers in tight-lid glass containers in the fridge. It should keep well for up to 3 days. Flavors will continue to settle and deepen. To reheat, you may add a little liquid and warm stove-top over medium heat.
Watch Video Tutorial for this Moroccan Chicken Recipe:
Moroccan Chicken Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6 people 1x
Description
BEST Moroccan Chicken recipe you will find! Super succulent, fall-off-the-bone tender chicken stew w/ warm Moroccan spices, lemons, olives & dried fruit. Be sure to check out the step-by-step tutorial up in the post.
Ingredients
For Spice Rub
- 1 1/2 tbsp all-natural Ras El Hanout
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 to 1 tsp black pepper
For Chicken
- 3 1/2 lb/1587.57 g whole chicken cut into bone-in pieces (or 7 to 8 pieces of chicken with bone in. Leave skin on or remove it, up to you.)
- Kosher salt
- Private Reserve Greek extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium yellow on ion, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
- 1 oz/28.3 g chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced (or 1 preserved lemon, cut up into small pieces)
- 3/4 cup/ 58.5 g pitted green olives
- 1/4 cup/37 g raisins (any kind)
- 1/4 cup/ 47 g chopped dry apricots
- 3 tbsp/49.14 g tomato paste
- 1 1/2 cup 352.5 ml low-sodium chicken broth
- Toasted slivered almonds, to your liking, optional
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine Ras El Hanout and the remaining spices to make the rub.
- Pat chicken pieces dry and season lightly with kosher salt on both sides. Now, rub the chicken all over with the spice rub (if you kept the skins, make sure to apply the spice rub underneath the skins for best flavor.) Set aside in room temperature for 40 to 45 minutes or so (or, if you have the time, cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. If you do this, take chicken out of fridge and let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes before cooking.)
- In a 12″ deep ceramic pan or braiser like this one, heat 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add chicken (skin side down, if you kept skin) and brown for 5 minutes. Turn over and brown on the other side for another 3 minutes or so.
- Lower heat to medium-low and add onions, garlic, and cilantro. Cover and cook for 3 minutes, then add lemon slices, olives, raisins, and dried apricots.
- In a small bowl, mix the tomato paste and chicken broth. Pour mixture on top of the chicken as it cooks.
- Bring to a simmer for 5 minutes, then, keeping heat on medium-low, cover and cook for 30-45 minutes until chicken is tender and cooked through registering an internal temperature of 165 degrees F or higher.
- Garnish with more fresh cilantro and toasted almonds, if you like. Serve over plain couscous.
Notes
- Cook’s Tip: Allow at least 45 mins of inactive time for the chicken to marinate in the spice rub.
- Cook’s Tip: If you do have the time, spice the chicken ahead of time. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight for more pronounced flavor. And if possible, bring chicken close to room temperature before cooking.
- Cook’s Tip: You can use boneless, skinless chicken pieces. Remember to adjust your cooking time down as it will be quicker to cook. Depending on how many pieces of chicken, you may not use the entire spice rub amount.
- Leftover Storage Tip: This Moroccan chicken is even better the next day. Refrigerate leftovers in tight-lid glass containers; it should keep well for 3 days or so. Simply heat stove-top over medium heat. Make sure to add a little more liquid as needed (broth or water).
- Recommended for this Recipe: all-natural Ras El Hanout North African (Moroccan) spice blend; sweet paprika. And from our Greek olive oil collection, Private Reserve.
- SAVE! Create your own 6-pack from our all-natural or organic spice collections. Try our Greek EVOO Bundle.
- Nutrition information assumes no skin. Nutrition information also assumes 4 servings, although this can easily serve 6.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Category: Entree
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Moroccan
Made my own spice mix — seemed to pull every spice I owned from the cabinet. AWESOME RECIPE!!! I would post a picture, but it won’t let me. Well that’s OK, It looks just like yours.
Great, Melody! Thanks so much for sharing.
A couple of tips
You can safely cook the chicken to 145F for juicier meat. 165F is drying it out a fair bit
Heating EVOO breaks it down, losing the flavour. Save your money and use regular olive oil. The results will be as good.
Thanks for sharing Robert. There is a lot of misconception out t here about cooking with extra virgin olive oil.
This was a huge hit! My family loved the flavours… N mind you, I’m Indian so we love our rich flavours…
Don’t have ras el hanout where I live so I made my own spice mix.
Thank you for this amazing dish, I’ll definitely recommend it n make it again!
Thanks so much, Angeline! So glad you enjoyed it!
This. Is. Phenomenal. It’s perfect all the way around, easy, quick, smells divine, looks beautiful, and tastes fantastic. I used thighs because that’s what I had on hand and they were perfect. I used couscous to soak up the sauce and made the carrot salad (with mint) for a side. Wish I’d had bread but it was still a yummy supper! Thanks!
OMG. This is sooooooooo good. And the whole house smells heavenly! I used skinless thighs…
I’m so glad to hear it, Marie! Thanks so much for sharing!
We are making this for the first time for a dinner party. We are using boneless thighs. Do you recommend fully trimming and cleaning the skin? We dont have a braiser so I was going to use a cast iron pan to brown the chicken and then transfer to a ceramic dish to finish in the oven.
Would appreciate your thoughts
Hello, Alan. You can make this recipe with boneless chicken, and you can leave the skin off or completely remove it (personal preference.) As mentioned in the recipe notes, with boneless chicken, the cooking time will need to be adjusted. An oven safe cast iron pan should work well, and if you don’t have a cover for it, foil should also work here.
Delicious dish that is fairly easy to make. The flavors and fragrances are to die for.
Nathalia, thank you for giving it a try! and thanks for taking the time to share!
Made this tonight and it was so delicious! Thank you for the recipe. I will definitely be making it again.
So glad to hear it!
Can harissa be substituted for the Ras El Hanout?
Hi Bruce, in this particular recipe, ras el hanout is the spice to use. They’re two different blends with different flavor notes, so it won’t quite be the same.
Could I use harissa in place of the ras el hanout?
Harissa and Rash El Hanout are two very different spice blends. The flavor profiles are quite different.
So delicious and better the next day. Make plenty as it will go. I love The Mediterranean Dish recipes.
Lizzie, I am so so glad you gave this one a try! Thanks!
Fantastic – Thank you
My pleasure, Andy! Thanks so much!
I made this and the whole family loved it. We served it over spinach and rice.
That’s awesome, Susan! Thanks so much for sharing!
I included this in my roundup for Parade this week, and when my husband saw it, he asked if I could make it for him. I made it tonight and he LOVED it and asked that I make it regularly. As a wimpy vegetarian, lol, I’m not a huge fan of chicken, but I have to say this was one of the best chicken dinners I’ve had. We have friends coming to visit for a few days to ski next month, and this is definitely on the menu. The chicken was sooooo moist and flavorful. Thanks for a GREAT recipe!
I made this last night and it was stellar! The sauce is rich with sweet and spicy notes. The lemons lend a slightly bitter edge that pairs beautifully with the salty olives and sweet apricots. I used skinless chicken thighs, so the result wasn’t greasy and really tender. I’ll be cooking this often. Thanks for the recipe!
Thanks so much for sharing, Tina! Glad you enjoyed it.
This looks delicious. I wonder if I could use the slow cooker to finish it off after the Browning?
Sure, Kylie! You can use the slow-cooker once the chicken is browned. You’ll just put the browned chicken and remaining ingredients in a large slow cooker (adjust liquid if you need to). I believe 6 to 8 hours on low or 4 hours on high (give or take).