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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Outstanding recipe! The timing was spot on and the Apricot Couscous Salad as well as some grilled asparagus, the perfect accompaniments. This meal really comes together quick, we loved it!
If I already have ras el hanout, can I use that instead? If so, what measurement do you suggest? I’ve made this recipe many times, and it’s well-loved by all who try it. But since my spice drawer now includes ras el hanout, I’m curious to try it out in this recipe.
Thank you!
Hi Yvonne, I’ve never made this with raw el hanout, but I think it would work. I’d suggest 1 tablespoon + 1.5 teaspoons. Please LMK how it turns out!
While this required a lot of spices, it was worth it for the complexity of flavors it created. Pounding the chicken thin resulted in a fast sear on the hot grill with beautiful char marks. Delicious and something we will be making again soon. Delicious!
The Grilled Moroccan Chicken and Spiced Couscous is absolutely delicious! I’ve made it numerous times and friends and family always give outstanding reviews. It is tender, juicy, aromatic and a delight to the palate.
Made this tonite with the recommended Couscous
Followed recipie exactly
YUM-Yum -Yum !!!!
I WILL be making this again
Thank You
Fantastic recipe. The chicken had so much flavor and the couscous with the apricot sauce is perfect with it!
Made this the other night with Warm Couscous Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette for my husband and myself. Used chicken tenders. Couldn’t stop eating it. We ate all the chicken and had only a handful of the couscous left! Absolutely Divine!!!
With regard to the Moroccan Chicken, didn’t have ginger but still turned out wonderful.
With regard to the Couscous Salad only had 4 tablespoons of the Apricot preserves but again turned out wonderful!
I was looking for a new, fast chicken recipe today and hit the jackpot with this one! The aromatic spice blend was and the preparation couldn’t be easier. This is definitely going into our regular rotation!
This recipe was the first recipe I have ever made of yours. Served the chicken with the couscous salad with apricot vinaigrette. Absolutely delicious! This is definitely a keeper. I used chicken tenderloins instead of chicken breasts. I found the tenderloins easy to cook. The couscous salad was easy to make and perfect to serve with the grilled chicken. I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
I prepared this as kebabs with bell pepper and mushroom – on the grill for an easy weeknight dinner, and served it over cilantro lime rice for an absolutely amazing dinner. Real restaurant quality eats ! Thank you Jen!