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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
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 pounds bone in skin on chicken thighs
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 thinly sliced onion
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ½ cup green olives
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- lemon wedges for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large oven safe pan over medium high heat.
- Season 2 pounds bone in skin on chicken thighs on both sides with salt and pepper to taste 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 1 thinly sliced onion to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes or until just softened. Add 1 cup chicken broth, 1 tablespoon paprika, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger and ¼ teaspoon ground 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 cooked throughout to 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Stir in ½ cup green olives and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons chopped parsley and serve, add lemon wedges for garnish if desired.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
