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This Moroccan chicken is tender chicken thighs cooked in an aromatic sauce with olives and lemon. An easy dinner that’s full of unique flavors!
We eat a lot of chicken in my house – it’s inexpensive, convenient and my kids love it! This Moroccan chicken is a little different from your typical chicken dinner, but it’s packed with the most amazing flavors and it’s super easy to make too!
To make Moroccan chicken, you’ll need chicken thighs, onion, green olives, lemon and spices. The chicken thighs are seared to golden brown perfection, then combined with sauteed onions and spices and roasted until done. Be sure to use an oven safe pan so that you can transfer it from the stove to the oven without any issues.
I always use bone-in skin-on chicken thighs for this dish because I think they have the most flavor and they don’t dry out in the oven the way that leaner cuts like chicken breast can. If you’re not a dark meat fan, try bone-in skin-on chicken breasts instead, but be aware that the cook time will need to be adjusted up to compensate for the breasts being larger and thicker than the thighs.
The spices that give this dish its Moroccan flavor are ginger, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric and paprika. The cinnamon may seem like an odd addition to a savory chicken dish, but it really works so well with the chicken! The olives and lemon juice are added at the very end, along with a sprinkling of parsley. Then you’re ready to eat!
This chicken is great served over couscous or rice. I also often serve a green vegetable on the side like asparagus or broccoli.
I love this Moroccan chicken because it’s easy enough for a busy weeknight, yet fancy enough to serve to company. It doesn’t require any specialty ingredients, yet it tastes like you’re eating at a restaurant!
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Moroccan Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 bone in skin on chicken thighs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 cup green olives
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- lemon wedges for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large oven safe pan over medium high heat.
- Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper and add the chicken in one layer to the pan.
- Cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until golden brown.
- Remove the chicken from the pan. Place on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.
- Add the onion to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes or until just softened.
- Add the chicken broth, paprika, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric to the pan. Stir to combine.
- Add the chicken back to the pan. Spoon the liquid over the chicken and place the pan uncovered into the oven.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is done.
- Stir in the olives and lemon juice. Sprinkle with parsley and serve, garnished with lemon wedges if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Lovely dish! Yummy and filling. A new dinner to add to my supper rotation.
This was very good and so simple! I served over farro with a green salad on the side. Will definitely be making again.
I made this for years. But, I haven’t made it recently. A year or more. It’s all due to that fact that had misplaced the recipe. It’s hard to make this recipe without one.So after tearing house apart trying to find this recipe. It was time I just signed on the intruder and looked the recipe back up. Alas, the internet lead me here just so I can print this recipe again. Success. So I will be making this as one of our New Years Eve dishes. I won’t leave a rating but, ripping my house apart for this recipe is statement enough. It was easier just getting it here.
So glad that you found the recipe! Hope that you have a Happy New Year and enjoy your Moroccan Chicken!
Great recipe. I made it for the first time. I added a few diced garlic cloves to the onions and dried apricots and prunes (cut in half) to the sauce before putting back the chicken. It added delicious flavor to the sauce
HI there! I love this and have made it twice, but I never get the crispy look of your thighs in the pic…my skins always come off and stick to the pan and burn. Do you use a non-stick to achieve that crispy skin?
I would recommend turning down your heat. Sometimes I spray my pan before adding the ingredients to help with that too. Lower heat will help that from nonsticking and leaving the golden crisp look. It may take a little longer cooking times.
Hey there…I have made this twice using a heavy aluminum good quality pan. It looks like you got this so nice and crispy but I always end up with the skin sticking to the bottom and getting all gummy and then just coming off completely. Any tips?
You will want to wait for it to be cooked through and your cooking temperature so it does not get sweaty and looses the outside. Hope that helps!
To kick it up a notch, try using preserved lemons, available at any Middle Eastern grocery as well as some supermarkets.
Awesome recipes
Thanks so much
Love your recipes!!!!
This looks great. Have you tried using these seasonings and making it on your stove top instead, as a one pan meal? I’m going to try it after the one-pan chili lime chicken and rice.
Wendelah,
I think you are confused. This recipe is a one-pot meal. Use your oven safe pan to sear the chicken on the stove top, then place in oven after onions and seasoning.
really nice change for me, great flavors for chicken and using chicken thighs> Even better, thank you for this recipe!