This Moroccan Chicken Recipe features robustly seasoned chicken served on a bed of veggie-packed couscous, all topped with a flavorful apricot finishing sauce.
author’s note
Sweet, Savory, and Spiced Just Right!
After a trip to Morocco, I couldn’t stop thinking about the bold spices and sweet-salty flavors in every dish. My favorite was apricot chicken from a tiny alley restaurant. The warm spices, juicy chicken, and touch of sweetness were unforgettable.
Back home, I started testing a version I could make easily. This Moroccan Chicken Recipe is the result. It’s a full meal with seasoned chicken, couscous loaded with veggies, and a quick apricot sauce. It looks impressive but comes together fast.
Moroccan Chicken Recipe Ingredients
| Ingredient | Details & Tips |
|---|---|
| Chicken breasts | Thighs or breasts work. |
| Spices | Cumin, coriander, cinnamon, paprika, turmeric. Prep extra and store in a jar for next time. |
| Ginger & garlic | Fresh is great, but frozen Dorot® cubes or garlic paste save time. |
| Apricot preserves | The base of the sauce. Use a good-quality brand for better flavor. |
| Couscous | Use small-grain Moroccan couscous. Cooks in just a few minutes. |
| Carrots & peas | Stir into couscous for added color, texture, and veggie goodness. |
How To Make Moroccan Chicken Recipe
- Marinate chicken in oil, garlic, ginger & spices for 30 mins to 8 hrs, flipping once.
- Make sauce by whisking apricot preserves, vinegar, mustard, oil, salt & pepper.
- Grill chicken to 160°F, rest under foil 5–10 mins.
- Cook couscous in broth with oil & salt. Stir in peas, carrots & a bit of sauce.
- Assemble bowls with couscous, sliced chicken & sauce on top.
Tips For Success
- Marinate briefly: 20–30 minutes works. Poke with a fork and flip once to boost flavor.
- Oil the grill: Use tongs and an oil-soaked paper towel to prevent sticking.
- Check temp: Grill chicken to 160°F. Use a digital thermometer to check.
- Let it rest: Cover with foil and rest 5–10 minutes before slicing.
Apricot Sauce
This sauce is nothing short of addicting! It’s so quick to whip together and serves a dual purpose:
- The sauce adds loads of flavor to the couscous base.
- It gets drizzled over the Moroccan Chicken, delivering the perfect finishing touch of flavor.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the ingredients in the sauce:
- Apricot preserves: Get the best quality you can find; I love Bonne Maman®, but Smucker’s® is also great. (Use leftovers in Mini Fruit Tarts).
- White wine vinegar: Softer and less sharp than white vinegar, so don’t mix them up.
- Dijon mustard: Not the same as yellow mustard — don’t swap them here.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Better olive oil improves the flavor! With so much in the sauce, couscous, and marinade, it really makes a difference.
- Salt & pepper: This whole Moroccan Chicken recipe needs seasoning, so it’s added to the sauce as well.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Keep chicken, couscous, and sauce separate if possible for best texture when reheating.
Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.
More Grilled Chicken Recipes:
Moroccan Chicken
Moroccan Chicken served over veggie-loaded couscous with a sweet and delicious apricot sauce—big flavor in every bite!
Video
Equipment
- Small blender or food processor
- Grill or grill pan
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 10 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1-1/2 cups grated carrot peeled; 3 medium carrots
- 1-1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1-1/2 cups couscous see note 1
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley optional
- 1 lemon optional
Instructions
- Cut chicken breasts in half widthwise and cover with plastic wrap. Pound with a meat mallet to 1/2-inch thickness. Place the chicken in a gallon resealable bag to avoid turmeric stains. Peel and grate carrots using the large holes of a grater.
- In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup olive oil, the honey, minced garlic, ginger paste, paprika, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and salt (I use 1 tsp). Mix until smooth. Pour over the chicken in the bag, seal, and massage to coat. Marinate in the fridge for 5–8 hours. (see note 2).
- In a small blender or food processor, combine apricot preserves, Dijon, vinegar, and salt and pepper (I use 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper). Blend for about 45 seconds until combined. Slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup olive oil while blending until smooth, about 25 seconds. Transfer to a covered jar and refrigerate.
- Prepare couscous while heating the grill (see note 3). In a medium pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over high. Add grated carrots and sauté for 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, 1 tbsp olive oil, and salt (I use 1/2 tsp). Bring to a boil, then remove from heat, add the couscous, stir, cover, and let stand 5 minutes. Dice parsley to get 1/4 cup. Fluff couscous with a fork, stir in frozen peas, 1/4 cup parsley, and 1/4 cup of the prepared sauce. Mix, taste, and season with salt and pepper if needed.
- Place chicken breasts on the grill and spoon leftover marinade on top. Grill, covered, 2–5 minutes per side, depending on grill temperature and chicken thickness. Use a metal spatula to flip. After grilling, cover the chicken with foil and let rest 5 minutes before slicing.
- Divide couscous among plates, top with grilled chicken, and drizzle with remaining sauce. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Choose small couscous (labeled “Moroccan-Style Pasta”) to ensure it cooks quickly.
Note 2: Marinating the chicken for 30 minutes is effective. For a short marinade, poke holes with a fork to help it penetrate. Don’t pierce if marinating longer than 30 minutes.
Note 3: Preheat grill to medium-high (400–450°F). Clean and grease grates with oil using a paper towel held with tongs.
Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave until warmed through.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 554kcal | Carbohydrates: 56.1g | Protein: 33.8g | Fat: 21.2g | Cholesterol: 84mg | Sodium: 369.1mg | Fiber: 4.9g | Sugar: 13.2g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I absolutely loved the Moroccan Chicken recipe! The blend of spices was incredible, and it made my kitchen smell amazing. I never would have thought to pair raisins with chicken, but it added such a delightful sweetness. Can’t wait to try more recipes from Chelsea’s Messy Apron!
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks so much Vedma!
This Moroccan Chicken recipe looks absolutely delightful! I love the combination of spices and the vibrant colors. Can’t wait to try it out for dinner this week! Thanks for sharing such a delicious dish!
Thanks so much! I’m excited for you to try it!
I just tried the Moroccan Chicken recipe, and it was a hit! The blend of spices is absolutely incredible. Perfectly paired with couscous. Thanks for sharing this amazing dish!
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks for your comment!
This Moroccan Chicken recipe looks absolutely delicious! I love how you’ve combined all those vibrant spices. Can’t wait to try it out for dinner this week!
Thanks! I can’t wait for you to try it!
Made this tonight and it was even better than I hoped – and we had night expectations. I was only able to marinade the meat for an hour but it turned out flavourful and juicy.
So happy to hear this! Thanks for your comment Erika! 🙂