Grilled Moroccan Chicken
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This Moroccan chicken gets its bold flavor from a quick North African–style marinade—and it’s as easy as it is family-friendly.
Photo by Johnny Miller (Clarkson Potter, 2021)
First posted on this site in 2012, this grilled Moroccan chicken is one of my longtime favorites. The marinade is inspired by ras el hanout, a North African spice blend with more than a dozen spices—think cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, cardamom, allspice, fenugreek, and more. It’s a family favorite (even the kids love it), and it couldn’t be easier to make. Best of all, there’s hardly any clean-up. I like to serve it with couscous, especially my warm couscous salad with apricot vinaigrette.
“I’m back to make this recipe for a 3rd time because it is so easy and delicious!”
What You’ll Need To Make Grilled Moroccan Chicken
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or tenderloins): Lean, quick-cooking, and the perfect blank canvas for soaking up the marinade’s flavor.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Helps carry the flavors of the spices, keeps the chicken moist, and encourages a nice char on the grill.
- Salt and sugar: Salt seasons the chicken all the way through; sugar adds balance and helps the exterior caramelize just a bit.
- Garlic: Adds a punch of savory, aromatic flavor that complements the warm spices.
- Paprika, cumin, coriander, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon & cayenne pepper: A mix inspired by ras el hanout—a North African spice blend—bringing warmth, depth, and a little kick.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Pound the chicken. Pound the chicken breasts to an even 1/2-inch thickness. This tenderizes the meat and helps it cook evenly—otherwise the thin end can dry out while you wait for the thicker end to finish.
Step 2: Make the marinade. In a bowl or a large zip-top bag, combine the olive oil, spices, salt, garlic, and sugar. If using a bag, seal it and gently smoosh it around until everything’s evenly mixed.
Step 3: Marinate. Add the chicken to the bag with the marinade, press out the air, and seal. Massage the marinade into the chicken until it’s evenly coated. Refrigerate for at least 5 hours, or overnight for the best flavor.
Step 4: Grill. When you’re ready to cook, preheat the grill to high—you want it very hot to get those beautiful grill marks and a bit of char in the short cooking time. Grill the chicken for just a few minutes per side, until perfectly tender and cooked through (the internal temperature should reach 165°F).
More Easy Chicken Recipes with Big Flavor
Grilled Moroccan Chicken
Ingredients
- 1½ to 1¾ lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (or chicken tenderloins)
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Place chicken breasts between 2 pieces of wax or parchment paper and, using a meat mallet, pound to an even ½-in (13-mm) thickness. (Skip this step if substituting chicken tenderloins.)
- Mix all ingredients except chicken together in a small bowl or measuring cup. Place pounded chicken breasts inside a 1 gallon zip-lock bag. Add marinade to the bag, press air out and seal shut. Massage marinade into the breasts until evenly coated. Place the bag in a bowl in the refrigerator (to protect against leakage), and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for at least 5 hours or overnight.
- Clean grill and preheat to high. Place chicken breasts on grill, spooning marinade over top. Grill, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes per side. Do not overcook.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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Thank you for your wonderful recipes and cooking tips. I need to broil the chicken rather than grill it. My broiler has a choice of Lo or Hi. Which do you recommend, how long and how far from the heat? Thanks very much!
Hi Phyllis, I’d broil on high about 4 inches from the heat source. Hope that helps!
Hi Jenn! I don’t have a grill. Can I use a skillet + oven method for this recipe?
If so, any recommendations on timing?
Thanks!
Hi Amy, you can make it a bit easier on yourself and just broil it. I’d set your rack about 4 inches from the heat source and broil for the same amount of time specified for the grill (flipping once). Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Really delicious and a nice change from typical marinades. Next time, I would cut the salt to 1/2 Tsp as 1 Tsp seemed to be too much.
thank you
WOW, BIG FLAVOR!!!!! I used my cast iron skillet, inside, on medium high to get some char marks, then once all the chicken (5 cutlets) were charred, I turned it to low, added them back and put a lid on it. It only took about 10 more minutes till they were completely cooked through. They were excellent and both kids, including the one who doesn’t like spice, liked it a lot. I served with pita bread, that I drizzled with garlic butter and threw in the oven at 400 for a couple minutes, Middle East salad from TJ’s and I made a Middle East yogurt to boot. I will def put this on rotation. I’m so grateful to you for these recipes, and I love the bag idea = less cleanup! Thank you.
My family’s new favorite chicken recipe! Flavor packed. We make it with the recommended couscous. Stick to the recipe. It is perfection! Good idea to double down on everything. It disappears very fast!
I made this for my sister’s Moroccan themed baby shower after scouring the internet looking for Moroccan dishes. The chicken was perfect and many of the guests were wanting to know how I made it.
Made this recently for company, one of whom can’t eat gluten, soy or dairy. Was so easy and delicious. Served it with the carrot chickpea salad on this site which was equally yummy. Thanks Jen for all your wonderful recipes. Yours is the first site I go to when looking for new recipes.
So glad everyone enjoyed it! 🙂
Do you use sweet paprika or smoked?
Sweet (typically if a recipe requires smoked paprika, I will specify that). Enjoy the chicken! 🙂
Have you tried this marinade on lamb? Do you think that would be good?
Hi Joanna, I haven’t tried this with lamb, but I think it would work nicely!
Defrosted chicken legs & thighs. Do you think the recipe will work? Am a BIG fan of yours!!
Sure, Jenny — You can use the guidance from this jerk chicken recipe. Hope you enjoy!
This was delicious and easy using chicken tenders. We make a lot of moroccan tagines so love the flavors. This recipe was a lot easier and great for a quick dinner on the grill. Putting this into our “go-to” for ourselves and for company. A winner!