One-Pot Moroccan Chicken with Rice

Find more recipes at fussfreeflavours.com

5 from 5 votes

Easy Moroccan chicken with rice is a simple but delicious one-pot recipe, packed with flavour from fruit, herbs and earthy North African spice.

Servings:

Author: Helen Best-Shaw

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Ingredients

2 tsp olive oil
2 tsp ras el hanout
1 tsp harissa paste - optional – for extra heat
1 onion - peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic - peeled and sliced
2 chicken thighs - about 225 g filleted, diced
½ cup rice - 115 g
1 cup stock or broth - chicken or vegetable - 240 ml
40 g olives - stoned, sliced
1 preserved lemon - small – about 40 g, rinsed well
8 dried apricots - chopped
3 tomatoes - roughly chopped
coriander leaf - a large handful, chopped

To garnish (optional)

coriander
mint
flaked almonds - toasted
pomegranate seeds

Instructions

Set a large sauté pan (or casserole dish) with a lid on a medium heat. Fry the chopped onion and garlic in a little olive oil until they start to turn translucent.
Add the chopped chicken and stir in well. Cook until the chicken starts to colour.
Add the ras el hanout, and stir well to coat each piece of chicken evenly. Cook for a further couple of minutes.
Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Bring to a simmer and turn the heat down low.
Leave the dish to cook for 18 minutes. Once cooked, turn off the heat and leave to stand for 5 minutes.
Adjust seasoning if necessary. Stir through a handful of chopped coriander. Serve Moroccan Chicken garnished with more coriander, mint, pomegranate seeds and toasted flaked almonds.

Notes

Leave the lid on the pan the rice cooks. Make sure the heat is low; too much heat and it can catch and burn at the bottom. Many stoves need a diffuser ring to keep the heat gentle enough. If you are not used to cooking rice on your stovetop, check it half-way through. If you do need to check, however, you will need to add a little extra liquid because lifting the lid allows the steam to escape. Once you know how your cooker behaves, leave the lid on throughout.
Moroccan chicken with rice could be made in the oven. You can see the technique in my chicken biryani, another delicious one-pot dish. Cook the chicken on the stove as above.
Leftover roast chicken works well and is even quicker. Skip step 2 and add it with the spice. Or you could use frozen chunks, or even mince.
Instead of the apricots, try using chopped dates.
You can bulk the dish out by adding chickpeas.
Any long grain white rice will work. I favour basmati. Brown rice works but takes much longer and will probably need more liquid.

Nutritional Information

This recipe is 18 Weight Watchers Smart Points per portion

• Please note that the nutrition information provided below is approximate and meant as a guideline only.

• Unless stated otherwise cup conversions have been made with an online tool. For accuracy please check with your favoured conversion tool. We recommend buying inexpensive digital kitchen scales.