Moroccan Chicken Recipes

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE

Steps:

• Combine the spices in a small bowl and set aside. Zest the lemon. Combine 1 teaspoon of the lemon zest with 1 minced garlic clove; set aside.
• Season both sides of chicken pieces with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or pan over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Brown the chicken pieces skin side down in single layer until deep golden, about 5 minutes; using tongs, flip the chicken pieces over and brown the other side, about 4 minutes more. Transfer the chicken to a large plate; when cool enough to handle, peel off the skin and discard. Pour off and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan.
• Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until they have browned at the edges but still retain their shape, 5 to 7 minutes (add a few tablespoons of water now and then if the pan gets too dark). Add the remaining minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the spices and flour and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broth, honey, remaining lemon zest, and ¼ teaspoon salt, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to loosen any browned bits. Add the chicken (with any accumulated juices) back in, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the carrots, cover, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the carrots are tender-crisp, about 10 minutes more.
• Stir in the olives, reserved lemon zest-garlic mixture, cilantro, and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice; taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Serve with couscous.
• Note: Don't fret too much over trimming the chicken thighs. The skin gets removed midway through the cooking process and most of the fat will cook off and get drained. I usually just take kitchen shears and quickly snip off any excess skin or fat. Cracked green olives are olives that have been 'cracked' or split open before curing, allowing the brine or marinade to penetrate. You can find them in your supermarket's olive bar, or substitute any green olive that you like.
• Make-Ahead: After you have completed the step of cooking the carrots, the dish can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. To serve, gently warm on the stove until the chicken is heated through, then proceed to the step where the olives and remaining ingredients are added.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and brown in a large saucepan over medium heat until almost cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set aside.
• Saute onion, garlic, carrots and celery in same pan. When tender, stir in ginger, paprika, cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper and turmeric; stir fry for about 1 minute, then mix in broth and tomatoes. Return chicken to pan, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes.
• Add chickpeas and zucchini to pan and bring to simmering once again; cover pan and cook for about 15 minutes, or until zucchini is cooked through and tender. Stir in lemon juice and serve.

GRILLED MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken breasts between 2 pieces of wax or parchment paper and, using a meat mallet, pound to an even ½-inch thickness. (Skip this step if substituting chicken tenderloins.)
• Mix all ingredients except chicken together in a small bowl or measuring cup. Place pounded chicken breasts inside a 1 gallon zip-lock bag. Add marinade to the bag, press air out and seal shut. Massage marinade into the breasts until evenly coated. Place the bag in a bowl in the refrigerator (to protect against leakage), and let the chicken marinate for 5-6 hours.
• Clean grill and preheat to high. Place chicken breasts on grill, spooning marinade over top. Grill, covered, for 2-3 minutes per side. Do not overcook.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN ONE-POT

Steps:

• Season 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a flameproof dish, then brown the chicken on all sides. Remove the chicken to a plate.
• Whizz 1 chopped onion, 100g tomatoes, 100g chopped ginger and 3 garlic cloves into a rough paste.
• Fry 1 sliced onion in 1 tbsp olive oil in the dish until softened, then add 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tbsp coriander and 1 tbsp cinnamon and fry for 1 min more until fragrant. Add the paste and fry for another few mins to soften.
• Return the chicken to the dish with 1 large butternut squash, cut into big chunks, 600ml chicken stock, 2 tbsp brown sugar and 2 tbsp red wine vinegar.
• Bring to a simmer, then cook for 30 mins until the chicken is cooked through.
• Lift the chicken out and stir in 100g dried cherries, then continue simmering the sauce to thicken while you shred the chicken into bite-sized chunks. Stir the chicken back into the sauce and season.
• Mix 1 finely chopped small red onion, the zest of 1 lemon, a handful of mint leaves and 100g crumbled feta cheese. Scatter over the dish, then serve with couscous and natural yogurt.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN STEW

Steps:

• In a large, dry pan, gently toast the almonds for 2 mins until golden - don't take your eyes off them, as they burn easily - then set aside.
• In the same pan, heat the ghee and gently cook the onions for 8 mins until softened. Add the garlic, ginger and spices, and fry for 1 min more.
• Add the chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook until the skin is golden and crisp, then turn and cook to lightly golden on the flesh side.
• Add the red peppers, lemon slices, olives, stock or bone broth and dates or apricots (and chilli, if using). Simmer with the lid on for about 40 mins until the chicken is cooked through.
• If you find the sauce is too watery, take off the lid and leave it to reduce a little. If the sauce is too thick, add a few more tbsps of water.
• Add the green beans for the final 4 mins of cooking time. Season to taste and top with the coriander, parsley and the toasted almonds to serve.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Let come to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Combine chicken broth, paprika, cumin, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and 2 teaspoons lemon zest in a bowl.
• Heat oils in a cast iron skillet until they begin to smoke. Add chicken thighs, skin-side down, and cook for 4 minutes. Flip thighs and continue cooking until skin is crispy, about 4 minutes more. Transfer to a plate. Saute onion in the skillet until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Pour chicken broth mixture carefully over onion; scrape up any browned bits off the bottom of the skillet.
• Return chicken thighs to the skillet. Spoon some of the liquid over the thighs.
• Transfer skillet to the preheated oven; bake until chicken thighs are no longer pink in the center, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Add olives to the skillet. Drizzle lemon juice over the thighs and garnish the whole dish with parsley.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine all of the ingredients except the chicken. Once well blended, add the chicken and toss to coat.
• Put in freezer bags, label and freeze. OR Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAGINE RECIPE (AUTHENTIC & EASY)

Steps:

• Prepare your ingredients. Chop the vegetables and press the garlic.
• Place the heat diffuser on your stove and place your Deep pan on top of it. Make sure everything is stable before you start cooking.
• In the pan, add the chopped onion, oil, pressed garlic, spices, chicken drumsticks, and ½ cup of water. Mix until the drumsticks are entirely covered with the sauce.
• Cover your pan and let everything gently boil for 10 minutes on low heat. Stir from time to time.
• Pour 3-4 cups of water or until your chicken is covered with the sauce.
• Cover the cooking pot and let cook on low to medium heat until the drumsticks are almost ready. This might take from 30 to 40 minutes, depending on your chicken drumsticks. Check regularly and add a little of water if sauce evaporates.
• When the chicken is almost done, add the frozen peas, sliced carrots preserved lemons and half the quantity of parsley and coriander. Cover again and let cook until everything is all tender and well cooked. This can take between 20 to 30 minutes. Check regularly and add water whenever needed.
• Once everything is well cooked and if there is a lot of sauce, uncover your pot and let evaporate for a few minutes. The sauce should be thick, not watery.
• To serve your dish, gently position the chicken drumsticks and vegetables in the center of your plate and pour a little of the sauce on top.
• Decorate with marinated olives and some fresh parsley, and coriander.
• Serve hot or tepid, with fresh bread.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine carrots, chickpeas, onion, raisins, ginger, garlic, thyme, lemon zest, and olive oil; toss to coat.
• In a separate large bowl, stir together 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, coriander, cumin, and cinnamon. Add chicken legs, and toss to coat.
• Have ready four 12-by-17-inch sheets of parchment. Lay a sheet of the parchment paper on a work surface. Place 1/4 vegetable mixture in center of sheet; season with salt and pepper. Drizzle 2 tablespoons chicken stock over vegetables. Center 2 chicken legs over vegetables.
• To seal packet, bring edges of parchment together, and make a 1-inch fold, and crease. Make another 1/2-inch fold in the same direction, and crease to form a seam. Working with the edges of a short end, fold in towards center to meet, creating a triangle (as if wrapping a gift). Fold point under a few times, and press to seal; repeat with other side. Repeat with remaining ingredients and remaining 3 sheets of parchment.
• Transfer packets to a baking sheet. Bake until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes. To serve, carefully cut open each packet with kitchen shears. Remove chicken and vegetables, and serve over couscous.

GRILLED MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pound thicker parts of a chicken breasts with the flat side of a meat mallet to even out their thickness.
• In a medium mixing bowl whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper (about 3/4 - 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper).
• Place chicken in a gallon size resealable bag. Pour marinade over chicken and seal bag while pressing out excess air.
• Rub marinade over chicken breasts (and make sure marinade goes between chicken breasts). Transfer to refrigerator and allow to marinate at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.
• Preheat a grill over medium-high heat to about 425 degrees.
• Grill chicken until center registers 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer, about 4 minutes per side for 6 oz chicken breasts.
• Transfer to plate then cover and keep warm and let rest about 5 minutes before serving. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve warm.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN THIGHS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. Set aside 1 teaspoon spice mixture; add flour to remaining mixture and sprinkle over chicken., In a large nonstick skillet, brown chicken in oil on both sides. Remove and keep warm. Add shallots to the pan; cook and stir over medium heat for 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup broth and dates. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; return chicken to the pan., Cover and simmer until chicken juices run clear, 20-25 minutes. Remove chicken and keep warm. Combine flour with reserved 1 teaspoon spice mixture and remaining 2 tablespoons broth until smooth; gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in cilantro., For couscous, in a small saucepan, bring the water, broth, salt and cumin to a boil. Stir in couscous. Cover and remove from the heat; let stand until water is absorbed, 5-10 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then stir in almonds. Serve with chicken and sauce.

MOROCCAN-STYLE CHICKEN WITH COUSCOUS AND YOGHURT

Steps:

• Put the onion, garlic and chicken stock into a saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and boil for 5 minutes, or until reduced in volume by half.
• Add the chicken, tomatoes, ground cinnamon, ground ginger and dried apricots or prunes. Return the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer very gently, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
• Make the couscous addording to the packet instructions.
• Just before serving, stir the honey and coriander into the chicken and cook for a further five minutes. Serve with couscous and yoghurt.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Stir caraway seeds in heavy small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Transfer to processor. Add next 10 ingredients. Purée until coarse paste forms. Rub paste all over chicken halves.
• Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add chicken halves to pot. Add enough water to almost cover chicken. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken is tender, turning once, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer chicken, skin side up, to baking sheet. Add cilantro to liquid in pot. Boil until reduced to 3 cups, about 20 minutes. Season with salt. Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Broil chicken until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter. Serve with braising liquid.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN TAJINE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix the garlic, cumin, ginger, paprika, salt and pepper, 1/2 cup grated onion, and the oil.
• Rinse the preserved lemons, and remove the pulp. RESERVE the lemon peel for later use.
• Add the lemon pulp to the mixing bowl. Add the chicken. Mix everything together and place in a large plastic bag to marinate overnight in the refrigerator. (Twenty-four hours really gives the chicken the best flavor.)
• In a large Dutch oven or casserole, place the chicken and marinade; add the stems of the parsley and cilantro, the rest of the grated onion, the powdered saffron and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, turn down to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
• Remove the cover, stir the chicken and continue to simmer for another 15 minutes or until the chicken is tender.
• Remove the chicken to a serving dish and cover with foil to keep warm. Keep sauce on stove and begin to reduce.
• Slice the preserved lemon peel into thin slices and add to the sauce along with the olives, parsley and cilantro. Reduce until the sauce is just a little thick. This shouldn't take more than 5 minutes at most.
• Uncover the chicken and remove the skin from the chicken. (It doesn't look pretty and who needs the extra fat.) Pour sauce over chicken and serve.