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
Grilled Moroccan chicken with warm spices—easy enough for a weeknight, special enough for guests.
Ingredients
- 1½ to 1¾ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (or chicken tenderloins)
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 3 garlic cloves, 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-inch 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 2-3 minutes per side. Do not overcook.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 344
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Carbohydrates: 3g
- Sugar: 1g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 40g
- Sodium: 798mg
- Cholesterol: 118mg
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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Outstanding recipe! The timing was spot on and the Apricot Couscous Salad as well as some grilled asparagus, the perfect accompaniments. This meal really comes together quick, we loved it!
If I already have ras el hanout, can I use that instead? If so, what measurement do you suggest? I’ve made this recipe many times, and it’s well-loved by all who try it. But since my spice drawer now includes ras el hanout, I’m curious to try it out in this recipe.
Thank you!
Hi Yvonne, I’ve never made this with ras el hanout, but I think it would work. I’d suggest 1 tablespoon + 1.5 teaspoons. Please LMK how it turns out!
While this required a lot of spices, it was worth it for the complexity of flavors it created. Pounding the chicken thin resulted in a fast sear on the hot grill with beautiful char marks. Delicious and something we will be making again soon. Delicious!
The Grilled Moroccan Chicken and Spiced Couscous is absolutely delicious! I’ve made it numerous times and friends and family always give outstanding reviews. It is tender, juicy, aromatic and a delight to the palate.
Made this tonite with the recommended Couscous
Followed recipie exactly
YUM-Yum -Yum !!!!
I WILL be making this again
Thank You
Fantastic recipe. The chicken had so much flavor and the couscous with the apricot sauce is perfect with it!
Made this the other night with Warm Couscous Salad with Apricot Vinaigrette for my husband and myself. Used chicken tenders. Couldn’t stop eating it. We ate all the chicken and had only a handful of the couscous left! Absolutely Divine!!!
With regard to the Moroccan Chicken, didn’t have ginger but still turned out wonderful.
With regard to the Couscous Salad only had 4 tablespoons of the Apricot preserves but again turned out wonderful!
I was looking for a new, fast chicken recipe today and hit the jackpot with this one! The aromatic spice blend was and the preparation couldn’t be easier. This is definitely going into our regular rotation!
This recipe was the first recipe I have ever made of yours. Served the chicken with the couscous salad with apricot vinaigrette. Absolutely delicious! This is definitely a keeper. I used chicken tenderloins instead of chicken breasts. I found the tenderloins easy to cook. The couscous salad was easy to make and perfect to serve with the grilled chicken. I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes.
I prepared this as kebabs with bell pepper and mushroom – on the grill for an easy weeknight dinner, and served it over cilantro lime rice for an absolutely amazing dinner. Real restaurant quality eats ! Thank you Jen!