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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Made this for the first time last night (along with the apricot vinaigrette couscous). My non-adventerous-eater spouse was leery at first, but after a few bites declared how yummy it was! (I loved it from first nibble).
This was one of the very few times a recipe came out looking exactly like the picture, which I attribute to the *excellent* preparation instructions. The only deviation I made from the recipe was to slice the chicken breasts into 1/2” thickness, because we really don’t mind if the very tip is well-done.
The recipe was a lot of fun to make! I felt a bit like an alchemist measuring and mixing all the spices (my spouse asked “isn’t that a lot of work?” to which I replied “fun isn’t work!”)
Also made Kebabs, but used boneless thighs instead. I also substituted the sugar for Monk Fruit sweetener to keep it less carbs, however I used half as much since MF tends to taste sweeter. I then made a brine (by adding hot water to spice mix and then iced down after dissolved) instead of marinade and let sit overnight. Went one step further, simmered brine until all water was gone leaving a spice muck behind (be careful that it is not too salty) after which I added oil to heat and “toast” a bit. Then brushed on while cooking.
Has anyone ever used this same recipe but with steak?
Hi there–if I missed this, forgive me, but is there a way to do this in the InstantPot? If anyone knows, I would appreciate your experience/input with it. Thank you!
Hi Ali, I don’t have enough experience with an instant pot to tell you confidently whether or not this would work in one, so you may want to take a peek at these tips. It looks like they could be useful. Sorry I can’t be more helpful (but maybe someone else can weigh in).
Followed recipe closely. The taste was great. Wings were moist and tender. The family loved them. I will definitely make it again.
The first time I made this recipe, I literally cried when I tasted it–the flavors and texture are that exquisite! It’s become our family’s favorite meal, and we especially love pairing it with the Zucchini with Feta, Walnuts, and Dill. Thank you Jenn for bringing joy to our table!
Hi, can I use boneless chicken thighs? If so- do I need to hammer the meat? Thank you.
Sure, Heather – and no need to pound them. Enjoy 🙂
I found this recipe a few years ago and after trying it with the chicken breasts I made a quadruple batch of the marinade and cubed a a few pounds of chicken breasts and made Kabobs with with them and they were fantastic!. We were having a cookout for my daughter’s birthday party and everyone loved them. It’s great on pork chops and pork loin too.
Hi
I was wondering if you could bake this in the oven instead of a grill. If so what temp and for how long ? Thanks in advance
Hi Pat, If you want to make this indoors, I’d use a grill pan. Heat it over medium-high heat until hot. Add the marinated chicken breasts and cook for 2 to 3 minutes on the first side without touching, until the chicken develops nice grill marks. Using tongs, flip the chicken over and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, or until cooked through. Hope you enjoy!
DELISH! A definite keeper! I used chicken thighs instead of breasts and fried the thighs instead of grilling. The oil in the marinade was enough to fry the thighs. I accompanied it with your Warm Couscous Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette. The flavours were YUM! YUM! YUMMM! Can’t wait to try another recipe! BTW your French Apple Cake is also a keeper! 🙂
Very delicious and flavorful. After heating the grill very hot, I grilled with the lid open, to prevent drying. Served with a pilaf of basmati, peas and corn cooked in a light stock. Terrific dinner.
Hi Jenn, I plan to make this for dinner tonight. Just one clarification: are you using fine sea salt or kosher salt in the recipe?
Hi Robin, You should use regular/sea salt. (When a recipe of mine says salt in the ingredient list, I am referring to regular/table salt. If it calls for something else like kosher salt, I will specify that in the recipe.) Hope you enjoy the chicken!