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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Thank you for your wonderful recipes and cooking tips. I need to broil the chicken rather than grill it. My broiler has a choice of Lo or Hi. Which do you recommend, how long and how far from the heat? Thanks very much!
Hi Phyllis, I’d broil on high about 4 inches from the heat source. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn! I don’t have a grill. Can I use a skillet + oven method for this recipe?
If so, any recommendations on timing?
Thanks!
Hi Amy, you can make it a bit easier on yourself and just broil it. I’d set your rack about 4 inches from the heat source and broil for the same amount of time specified for the grill (flipping once). Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Really delicious and a nice change from typical marinades. Next time, I would cut the salt to 1/2 Tsp as 1 Tsp seemed to be too much.
thank you
WOW, BIG FLAVOR!!!!! I used my cast iron skillet, inside, on medium high to get some char marks, then once all the chicken (5 cutlets) were charred, I turned it to low, added them back and put a lid on it. It only took about 10 more minutes till they were completely cooked through. They were excellent and both kids, including the one who doesn’t like spice, liked it a lot. I served with pita bread, that I drizzled with garlic butter and threw in the oven at 400 for a couple minutes, Middle East salad from TJ’s and I made a Middle East yogurt to boot. I will def put this on rotation. I’m so grateful to you for these recipes, and I love the bag idea = less cleanup! Thank you.
My family’s new favorite chicken recipe! Flavor packed. We make it with the recommended couscous. Stick to the recipe. It is perfection! Good idea to double down on everything. It disappears very fast!
I made this for my sister’s Moroccan themed baby shower after scouring the internet looking for Moroccan dishes. The chicken was perfect and many of the guests were wanting to know how I made it.
Made this recently for company, one of whom can’t eat gluten, soy or dairy. Was so easy and delicious. Served it with the carrot chickpea salad on this site which was equally yummy. Thanks Jen for all your wonderful recipes. Yours is the first site I go to when looking for new recipes.
So glad everyone enjoyed it! 🙂
Do you use sweet paprika or smoked?
Sweet (typically if a recipe requires smoked paprika, I will specify that). Enjoy the chicken! 🙂
Have you tried this marinade on lamb? Do you think that would be good?
Hi Joanna, I haven’t tried this with lamb, but I think it would work nicely!
Defrosted chicken legs & thighs. Do you think the recipe will work? Am a BIG fan of yours!!
Sure, Jenny — You can use the guidance from this jerk chicken recipe. Hope you enjoy!
This was delicious and easy using chicken tenders. We make a lot of moroccan tagines so love the flavors. This recipe was a lot easier and great for a quick dinner on the grill. Putting this into our “go-to” for ourselves and for company. A winner!