Moroccan Chicken Stew
This Moroccan chicken stew is the perfect one-pot meal for any night of the week. With tender chicken, fragrant spices, and colorful vegetables all cooked together in a savory broth, this stew is sure to become a family favorite.
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Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 222kcal
Ingredients
- 3-½ pounds bone-in chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion sliced
- 1 cup dried apricots or dates chopped
- 5 to 6 garlic cloves minced
- 3-½ teaspoons Ras el Hanout or see notes
- rind of 1 preserved lemon minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon harissa paste
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1-¾ cups chicken broth
- 3 carrots peeled and sliced ½-inch thick
- 1 can 15-ounces chickpeas
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves chopped
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat (we used a 6-quart Dutch oven). When the pot is hot, place the chicken thighs in a single layer and sear them on both sides until golden brown. Work in batches so you don’t crowd the pot. When the chicken thighs get brown, set them aside on a plate.
- Add the onion to the pot and cook until it is soft and translucent. Stir in the dried apricots, garlic, Ras el Hanout, preserved lemon rind, tomato paste, harissa paste, and honey, and cook, stirring for 30 seconds until the spices are fragrant.
- Add the chicken broth and the carrots. Return the chicken thighs to the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer (you should see small gentle bubbles). Place the lid on the pot and simmer for 40 minutes.
- Add the chickpeas to the pot and simmer for 10 more minutes.
- Optional step: If you prefer shredded chicken instead of large pieces of chicken thighs, remove the chicken and shred them on a plate, then return the meat back to the pot.
- Stir in the lemon juice and cilantro. Taste and season with additional salt if needed. Serve with fresh lemon slices.
Notes
- You can use skinless or skin-on chicken. We recommend bone-in chicken because it will give the stew more flavor. However, boneless thighs will work. If you use boneless chicken thighs, reduce the cooking time to 25 minutes.
- If you can’t find preserved lemon, you can add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and 2 tablespoons of chopped green olives. It won’t replace the flavor of the preserved lemon, but it will give some extra depth and complexity.
- Different brands of harissa paste vary in their spice level. You can add additional harissa paste if desired. Harissa sauce is less concentrated than the paste. If you use harissa sauce, double or triple the amount called for in the ingredient list.
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
- ¾ teaspoon ginger
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon cloves
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 222kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 494mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 18g