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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A definite winner! Hands down an easy yet flavorful chicken. Loved the flavors (even at only 2 hrs marinade)….we were pleased.
Will definitely make again!
Oh my gosh!!!! This is the BEST chicken dish I’ve ever had. My husband and I were literally jumping up on our seats because of the burst of flavors!!! Thank you so much for this recipe!!
It tasted like a dish from restaurant!! I wish I could give it more than 5 stars. Thank you!!!!
I made this Moroccan Chicken for my family and it has become a regular on our dinner menu. So much flavor and so easy to make. I shared this recipe with my sister in law and at our family get together we decided to serve the chicken on pita bread with thinly sliced red onions, cucumbers and grape tomatoes. It was so good!
Delicious! We did with chicken thighs on the grill. Loved it. I had seen a similar recipe spice-wise that called for the chicken to be sauteed with sour cream and evaporated milk. I was going to try doing in pan and finishing with coconut milk perhaps next time, to create a little yummy sauce for rice. Thoughts?
Glad you enjoyed it! And what you suggested sounds like a nice twist on it. I’d love to hear how it turns out if you try it!
Excellent! Used skinless boneless thighs because we prefer them. Served with grilled peppers and onions and grilled naan. This will part of the regular rotation as long as grilling season lasts.
Best chicken recipe ever! Made it 3 times already and we loved it. Served it with baked potato or basmati rice (Jenn, thanks to you I finally learned how to cook Basmati rise). I also made a salad with your Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (no more store bought dressings for me!).
This recipe has become a twice a month recipe for me. My whole family loves this always-moist, flavorful chicken. I serve it with mujadara as a side. When my husband ate this for the first time he declared that I was to only make this kind of chicken from here on out. Thanks so much for this delicious recipe!
Absolutely delicious! I served this for a family supper to rave reviews. Such a wonderful blend of warm spices.
This was fabulous! I live in an apartment and cannot have a grill so I used a panini press to cook the chicken. Pounding the breasts ensured even cooking and seemed to “stretch” two breasts to be enough for 3 adults (with other sides). Marinated the chicken all afternoon and it was tender, juicy and so flavorful. Wow! Will be in my regular rotation!
Love this one. One of my favourites on the site.