Grilled Moroccan Chicken
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The spices in this grilled chicken recipe are reminiscent of ras el hanout, a North African spice blend that usually contains over a dozen spices.
Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021)
First posted on this site in 2012, this grilled Moroccan chicken is an oldie but a goodie! The spices used in the marinade echo the flavors of ras el hanout, a North African spice blend that contains over a dozen spices, like cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne pepper, cardamom, allspice, fenugreek, and more. Not only is this dish a hit with the whole family – yes, even the little ones – but it’s also a breeze to prepare. The bonus? Minimal clean-up! Pair the chicken with plain couscous or my warm couscous salad with apricot vinaigrette.
What You’ll Need To Make Grilled Moroccan Chicken
Step-by-step instructions
Begin by pounding the chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness.
This both tenderizes the meat and ensures even cooking. Left in their natural shape, the thin side of the fillet dries out while the thicker side finishes cooking.
Next, make the marinade by combining the olive oil, spices, salt, garlic and sugar in a bowl or directly in a sealable plastic bag.
Mix well.
Place the chicken and marinade in a freezer bag, press the air out, and then massage the marinade into the chicken until the breasts are evenly coated. Marinate in the fridge for at least 5 hours or overnight.
When you’re ready to eat, preheat your grill to high. It’s important that the grill is very hot — you want nice grill marks and char in the short amount of time it takes to cook these.
Grill just a few minutes per side for perfectly tender chicken breasts.
Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021)
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Grilled Moroccan Chicken
The spices in this grilled chicken recipe are reminiscent of ras el hanout, a North African spice blend that usually contains over a dozen spices.
Ingredients
- 1½ to 1¾ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (or chicken tenderloins)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- 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 in the fridge for at least 5 hours or overnight.
- 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.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 344
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Sugar: 1g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 40g
- Sodium: 798mg
- Cholesterol: 118mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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This is my family’s favorite recipe. It is a tried and true recipe. The chicken always comes out moist and flavorful. All of the spices marry perfectly together to make boneless, skinless chicken the best! This chicken pairs well with saffron rice and steamed green beans.
This chicken was the best if I could give more than 5 stars I would, Thank You
Yum, I loved this! Chicken turned out great with amazing flavor.
This might be the best chicken breast I’ve ever had in my life. I served it with the Apricot Couscous and Greek yogurt lemon sauce. I love finding a new recipe to keep forever.
This was amazing! Two days later hubby asked to have it again. Fit in with my WW also.
Paired it with Moroccan chickpea stuffed acorn squash.
This recipe is a must try…easy, flavorful and healthy!
Jen, I love all your recipes, yours is my go to website. I want to make your Morrocan Chicken but wonder if I can use boneless chicken thighs instead of boneless chicken breasts. Would the cooking time be the same?
Thanks, Nancy
Hi Nancy, so glad you enjoy the recipes! Yes, you can use boneless thighs here. Cooking time may be just a touch longer, but keep an eye on them. Enjoy!
Can the chicken be marinaded overnight? Your recipes have gotten me out of my cooking slump! Thank you
Sure, Alice – and so glad you’re feeling inspired by the recipes! 😊
Hi, Jenn. Love your blog, but unfortunately, this recipe disappointed. We were sad. Just bland. Could’ve used a sauce. I had barely a lb. of chicken thighs so I cut back the spices by 1/2. Did not have cayenne. Used garlic powder instead of raw garlic. Browned and cooked in an iron skillet so it was tender but kinda flavorless. My bad, I think. I’ll keep trying other recipes. Thank you! Lisa in Indy
This is phenomenal. I marinated the thighs for 2 days and they were terrific. My husband ate 3 skewers – I have never seen him go so wild for chicken before!
Can this be marinated overnight vs 5-6 hours?
Yep – hope you enjoy!
This recipe was so delicious that my picky kids even wanted to eat it again. I didnt even need to marinate for more than an hour and still had a wonderful taste. I use this for gyros. Get some pita bread, yogurt sauce and this! So easy and delicious!