Moroccan Chicken

Jeff the Chef

You should serve this Moroccan Chicken as soon as it comes off the grill. You can prep the salad and keep in the fridge before well in advance of grilling the chicken breasts. That will help make things easier. Serve it with Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Bread, and follow it up with Orange and Almond Spice Cake for dessert. You can make the bread in the morning, and make the cake while the bread is rising. You’ll have a very memorable meal on your hands, perfect for an I’d-love-to-make-dinner-for-you date.

Moroccan Chicken
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Moroccan Chicken

Recipe by Make It Like a Man!Course: DinnerCuisine: Mediterranean
Makes

4

servings

Make the salad and dressing, and toss it together while the chicken marinates.

Ingredients

  • For the chicken

  • 3 Tbs olive oil, plus more for grilling

  • 4 Tbs lemon juice

  • 2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

  • 2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro

  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped

  • 1 tsp ground coriander

  • 1 tsp sweet paprika

  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin

  • Pinch of chili powder

  • 4 chicken breasts, ~ 5 oz. each

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • For the salad

  • 7 oz. prepackaged, shredded carrot

  • 7 oz. prepackaged coleslaw veggie mix

  • 7 oz. prepackaged broccoli slaw veggie mix

  • 1 oz. raisins

  • 1 oz. golden raisins

  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves

  • Pistachios, shelled, to taste

  • For the dressing

  • 4-6 Tbs lemon juice

  • 4 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste

  • 1 tsp cumin

  • 1 tsp paprika

  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

  • 1/4 tsp cayenne (or less, to taste)

  • 4 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

  • Make the chicken
  • Make a marinade by mixing together everything but the chicken, salt, and pepper in a large, shallow, nonmetallic container with a tight-fitting lid.
  • Using a sharp knife, score the chicken breasts, 3-4 times. Add the chicken to the marinade, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours, turning the chicken occasionally.
  • Brush a stovetop grill pan with oil. Heat it over high heat until very hot, 4 minutes. Take the chicken out of the marinade, allowing excess to drip back into the container. Grill the chicken for 7 minutes per side, brushing occasionally with marinade. Test with a quick-read thermometer, continuing to brush and flip every few minutes, until the chicken reaches 160°F. Remove from the pan and season with salt and pepper.
  • Make the salad and dressing
  • Place the carrot, coleslaw mix, and broccoli slaw mix in a large colander and rinse under cold, running water. Drain well, then dry meticulously. Add the veg mix to a salad bowl, along with both kinds of raisins, cilantro, and pistachios. Toss.
  • Place all ingredients into a container with a tight-fitting lid, and shake vigorously. Pour all (or less, to taste) the dressing into the salad and toss. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Notes

  • For the dressing, start with two tablespoons lemon juice and go up from there. Three might be a bit brassy. Note though, that it’ll tone down over time.
"Moroccan Chicken," from Make It Like a Man!

The Backstory

I’m sure this’d be delicious if prepared on an outdoor grill, but I was itching to try out a new stovetop grill pan. The pan worked fantastically. It does produce a lot of smoke, since you are more-or-less grilling indoors. So crank up your hood fan and open some windows.

It is a lot of work if you decide to do the full-out meal, with bread and cake and everything … but it’s not exhausting if you do indeed have the whole day to do it. So maybe consider this more of a Saturday meal. Most of the time is passive: waiting for chicken to marinate and bread to rise. The only real work is the cake, and as far as from-scratch cakes go, it’s fairly easy … but it will take your full attention. Grilling the chicken is quick and easy, leaving you feeling completely relaxed when it comes time to sit down and eat.

If you are having someone(s) over, this meal is also easy on you, because you can have it all but the chicken ready to go, and the chicken can sit in the marinade while you wait for your guest(s) to arrive. Put one of them in charge of mixing drinks, and you can grill while things get going.

It’s casual rather than elegant, but considering that you’re serving them homemade bread, exotically flavored chicken and salad, plus a from-scratch cake for dessert … and considering how delicious everything is, your friend(s) will be hoping you invite them over again very soon.

"Moroccan Chicken," from Make It Like a Man!
 Moroccan Chicken

Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man!, unless otherwise indicated. Thank you, Kesor. This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. References: “Moroccan Chicken,” in Perfect Mediterranean. (Bath, UK: Parragon, 2008), 84. Make It Like a Man! has been ranked by Feedspot as #14 in the Top 30 Men’s Cooking Blogs!

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34 thoughts on “Moroccan Chicken”

  2. I will definitely be making this chicken but I will use the grill so I don’t set off the smoke detectors! Luckily our climate allows for outdoor cooking just about year round.

    Reply

    • Yes! In fact, I think I liked the salad much better after it had an overnight in the fridge.

      Reply

  5. This all looks really delicious Jeff. To take some pressure off could the cake be made the day before? I rather like to know the dessert is all done very early. I would love to try your chicken on our outdoor BBQ, looks really good. Thanks Jeff.

    Reply

    • Oh, you could totally make the cake the day before. You’re infusing it with syrup, and then you’re serving it with a syrup garnish, so there’s no way it’s going to dry out. It won’t diminish in quality for a couple of days. But I do think it’s best served slightly wamred, rather than straight from the fridge.

      Reply

  9. Wow! All those spices for the chicken are definitely making my mouth water right now. And that salad! goodness. What a wonderful dinner combination. Thanks so much, Jeff, for sharing!

    Reply

  10. Sounds delicious. I love how your posts/recipes always tell the story of you making it — it’s a whole eating experience. 🙂 ~Valentina

    Reply

  11. Moroccan spices make everything taste great. Your chicken looks amazing and I’m sure my family would love it (passing the recipe to my DIL). Personally, I love the sound of that salad with the raisins, broccoli mix etc. Have a good week!

    Reply

  12. That does look and sound absolutely delicious, we just love Moroccan flavours. I am intrigued with the indoor grill pan, is it a cast iron one with the bottom that produces grill marks? I am thinking about a stove-top smoker only because I might like to smoke a few things quickly for flavour but don’t want to bother JT to get the Egg going.

    Reply

    • Yes, it’s the cast iron one. I have a fan that vents to the outdoors now, so I’m sure that will make a big difference.

      Reply

  13. Bill is known to dust the snow off our grill in the winter….and once when I was out of town and the grill was frozen shut, he and my oldest brought our big green egg into the house to defrost! I know we’d love your Moroccan chicken!

    Reply

  15. I’m looking to cut down on carbs and my sugar intake and this is the kind of recipe that’s going to keep me satisfied during that transition. I can’t wait to try it!

    Reply

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