Easy Moroccan Chicken includes warm spices, bright lemon, and green olives which contribute a nice complex flavor. It's utterly delicious over spaghetti squash or cauliflower pilaf.
I'm in Texas this week with the kids visiting my parents. As I've mentioned in past posts, my mother is a wonderful cook who made many gourmet dishes in my childhood.
The first time I had Moroccan food was at my mom's house, about 13 years ago. She was working as a volunteer prep/cook at Central Market's Cooking Classes and was responsible for setting up for the classes as well as getting/prepping things that guest Instructors/Chefs needed.
She also took many of the cooking classes offered at Central Market. In any case, she had the opportunity to be present while Kitty Morris was instructing on Moroccan cooking. Mom ended up buying her cookbook, Cooking at the Kasbah, and prepared several authentic Moroccan dishes for me during one of my visits. Mmmmmm.
While this dish may not be authentic Moroccan, it is full of rich flavor and just enough warm flavored spice to make it interesting.
I saw a recipe for Moroccan Chicken in a magazine a while back and tried it. Although good, it did not deliver the flavor I desired. With a few adjustments and additions, I was able to bring the flavor up where I wanted without complicating the dish.
I have tried this dish with whole cut up chicken, chicken thighs and chicken breasts. I like them all. Admittedly, the whole cut up chicken and chicken thighs were a little harder for my children to eat with the bones, but my husband loved them for flavor. I have always been a chicken breast girl, so I liked that version of this easy Moroccan chicken the best. Since chicken thighs usually look nicer in pictures, I went with that when photographing the dish.
So, what makes this Easy Moroccan Chicken with lemon and olives “Moroccan”? Mainly the olives and the lemon! I think an authentic Moroccan chicken recipe would call for preserved lemons, but using fresh lemons and leaving them in the dish as it cooks helps add a but of brightness as well as some bitterness which is delectable. I opted to use garlic stuffed green olives for this dish, but use any kind of green olives you want.
Adding the tomatoes and keeping the squeezed lemon wedges in the dish while cooking kicked it up a notch. ***This is a recipe that builds on flavor so make sure to brown the chicken in the pan instead of cheating with rotisserie chicken - I know, I tried!
Thanks to convenience items (jarred olives and canned whole peeled tomatoes) this dish takes about 30 minutes to prepare, so it's not only an easy Moroccan chicken recipe but a fast one, too. Fast and easy is always good!
To speed things up I suggest having your chicken ready to go (trimmed and/or cut up) and have the onions and garlic sliced and at the ready. If you are using fresh cauliflower, grate it in the food processor and leave it raw. A quick steaming in the microwave is all it will need.
I do the prep the night before and park everything on the fridge. It only takes 10 minutes. Consider adding toasted slivered almonds, browned onions, garlic salt and cilantro to the cauliflower rice for a nice accompaniment.
JUST A NOTE: One night I served this dish over spaghetti squash. It was so good I just couldn’t say enough about it. Spaghetti squash is higher in carbs, but if you have a higher carb tolerance I suggest trying it over the squash because it’s warm-sweet flavor is the perfect complement for this dish!
This Easy Moroccan Chicken with Lemons and Olives is 9 net carbs per serving with the cauliflower rice and is a complete meal.
Easy Moroccan Chicken with Lemons and Olives
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 ½ pounds boneless-skinless chicken breasts or 6 large thighs or 1 large whole cup up chicken
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Sauce
- 1 tablespoon olive oil omit if using chicken thighs with skin
- ½ medium onion sliced into half rounds
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 lemon cut into 6 wedges
- 2 teaspoons garam masala powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 - 14 ounce can whole peeled canned tomatoes 411 g
- 1 cup green olives pitted
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil omit if using chicken thighs with skin
- 1-2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
Cauliflower Rice
- 1 ½ pounds cauliflower riced and steamed
- 1 tablespoon slivered almonds toasted
- 3 ounces onion diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil ghee or butter
- 1-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- garlic salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prep: Slice onion, slice garlic, rice cauliflower and place in a microwavable bowl, cut lemon, chop cilantro. Open can of tomatoes and measure 1 cup of olives. If using chicken thighs with skin, trim off the excess skin and fat. Pat the chicken dry. Pour about 1-2 teaspoons of oil over the chicken, distributing over all surfaces. Season thoroughly with salt and pepper.
- Chicken: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the chicken to the pan (skin side down for chicken thighs) and cook for 7 minutes. Turn over and cook for an additional 6 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil to the pan (omit if using chicken thighs with skin) and add the onions and garlic. Saute for about 2 minutes or until softened, then add the garam masala and paprika, cooking until fragrant. Add the whole tomatoes to the pan crushing them into the pan and add the juice from the can. Squeeze the juice from the lemons into the pan and add the spent sections. Stir.
- Add the chicken back into the pan and the olives. Cover lightly with a piece of foil and simmer covered for 15 minutes and uncovered for 5 more (or longer if you want the sauce thicker). At the end of cooking, add two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (omit if using chicken thighs with skin) and cilantro.
- Cauliflower: Towards the end of the Moroccan Chicken's cooking time, steam the cauliflower in the microwave. In a small pan, saute the onions in the ghee or olive oil until browned and add to the cauliflower, season with garlic salt and pepper. Stir in slivered almonds and chopped cilantro.
- Serve: Discard the lemon wedges and serve the chicken over the cauliflower rice or to the side.
Notes
Nutrition
MassageMom
Given that I always have to cook for a crowd (at least 12 thighs!), could this work if it was finished in the oven? (Brown the chicken in batches on the stove, assemble the sauce, then put together in large oven-safe dish to finish cooking?)
Thanks!
Kim
Absolutely. Test it with the original amount first to see if you want to tweak anything, but I think that's a great way to do it. -Kim
Travler2130
I made this for my husband and grown children, We all try to eat low carb and this recipe was a BIG HIT! I especially liked the cauliflower flavors! I will definite make this again and again,
C.R.
Hi. Been cooking low carb for a few years and just stumbles across this recipe. Looks good and am gonna try it tomorrow. Question: how much would the recipe change if Unused pimento stuffed olives? Do you recommend not to? Thanks in advance!
Kim
I don't quite understand your question. Do you mean if you made it without olives? This recipe tastes best with the olives. Use briny green, but it doesn't what they are stuffed with. -Kim
C.R.
Sorry - bad thumb texting lol! I meant: Could I use pimento stuffed olives or do you suggest I remove the pimentos prior to cooking? I don’t cook much with green olives....
Kim
Sure, C.R. They would be great. -Kim
PATRICIA
Your recipes are fabulous! Thank you so much!
Kim
Thank you so much Patricia! -Kim
Keith @ How's it Lookin?
Looks delicious. I never had chicken like this, thanks for sharing
Kim
Thanks Keith. It's a great combination. -Kim
vicky sykes
Sds great
Kim
Thanks Vicky!
nicole (thespicetrain.com)
I love Moroccan food and this chicken looks absolutely incredible, such a delicious ingredient list!
Kim
Thank you so much Nicole. Although my photos look nothing like your beautiful photos, the recipe is really yummy. Have a great day and thanks so much for the comment! -Kim
Katie Crenshaw
Kim, your Easy Moroccan Chicken with Lemons and Olives looks absolutely Fantastic! Woman, you have done it again. You are so amazing in the kitchen! I will be trying this very soon! I love that it is easy. I think I have most of the ingredients in my house already, so this just might be dinner! Thanks for the recipe and inspiration!
Kim
Katie! You are so sweet, thank you so much! Hope you like it. -Kim
Cathy
This was delicious! Even my husband who says the only spices he likes are salt and pepper said it was good. A high
compliment.
Kim
I'm so happy to hear that Cathy! Thanks for leaving a comment and sharing. ;) Have a nice weekend. -Kim
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop
This is such a beautiful looking dish! Lemons...olives....YUM! Hope you have a wonderful visit with your parents! There's nothing better than going home for a visit!
Kim
Thanks Kathy! We are having a great time. -Kim
Elaine Markley
Kim, this looks wonderful! I love Moroccan food! So your nutritional information includes the cauliflower pilaf?
Kim
Yes, Elaine. It includes the riced cauliflower with onion, almonds, garlic salt and ghee or olive oil. -Kim