Moroccan Chicken and Couscous

5 from 10 votes

This Moroccan chicken with couscous is a flavorful, comforting dish made with warm spices, tender chicken, and fluffy couscous. It’s easy to prepare and perfect for a satisfying weeknight meal or a special dinner.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Moroccan

Servings: servings

Author: Shadi HasanzadeNemati

Ingredients

Moroccan Spice Blend

1 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp Cumin
1/2 tsp Turmeric
1/4 tsp Cayenne
1 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Cardamom
1 tsp Salt
2 Chicken Breasts

Moroccan Chicken

2 Chicken Breasts
2 tbsp Moroccan Spice Blend
1/8 cup Olive Oil

Moroccan Couscous

2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 large Yellow Onion Diced
4 cloves Garlic Minced
2 Carrots Diced
1 tsp Moroccan Spice
1/2 cup Raisins
1 1/2 cup Couscous
2 cups Water
1/3 cup Parsley Chopped
2 tbsp Lemon Juice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Moroccan Spice Blend

Place all the spices in a large bowl, stir using a small spoon.
Take one teaspoon of the spice blend and save it for the couscous. You will use the rest of the spice mix for the chicken.

Moroccan Chicken

Mix the Moroccan spice blend with the olive oil until it forms a paste.
Cut a few slits into the chicken breast, spread the paste over the chicken breasts on all sides. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.
Once ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375℉ and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, sear the chicken breasts in the pan, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
Place the chicken breasts on the baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until fully cooked. Take them out of the oven, cover with a piece of aluminum foil and let them sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

Moroccan Couscous

While the chicken is cooking, work on the couscous. Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion until golden, then add in the garlic and cook for a minute.
Add the carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add the 1 teaspoon Moroccan spices that you saved and stir well. Add raisins to the vegetables.
Add the couscous and stir well so it's incorporated with the vegetables and spices.
Add in the water, turn the heat up to medium high and bring it to boil. Lower the heat back to medium, cover and let it cook for 20 to 30 minutes until it's fully cooked. Turn the heat off, let the couscous sit for 10 minutes and then fluff it with a fork.
Add lemon juice and parsley to the couscous and serve the it with sliced Moroccan chicken.

Notes

You can marinade the chicken and refrigerate it for up to a day, and proceed with the steps when you're ready to cook.
You can use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe as well. Cooking time may vary. Make sure the chicken has cooked completely before serving it.
The amount of cayenne in this easy Moroccan chicken recipe is enough for the chicken to have a mild heat. If you prefer the chicken to be spicier, add 1/2 tsp cayenne to the original recipe.
Both golden raisins and dark raisins can be used in this recipe.
You can make a larger batch of this Moroccan spice and store it in a jar to have at hand. You can use this spice with breakfast eggs, in rice dishes, or any kind of meat dish for more flavor.

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