One Pot Moroccan Chicken Stew

This Moroccan Chicken Stew is packed with flavor and is a perfect hearty and filling meal. This one pot dish is made with chicken, vegetables, and cozy spices; all simmered in a rich broth.

As the weather becomes cooler, our need for comfort foods increases. It’s the perfect excuse to fill your home and belly with the aromatic blend of Moroccan spices.

This is not your ordinary chicken recipe, this Moroccan Stew will leave you feeling satisfied and happy. The combination of spices and unique flavor, cannot be beat.

With a cooking time of just 45 minutes, this is a great option for a weeknight stew. The moroccan flavors are a great way to end a long day.

Returning for more of this delicious meal would be expected. Which is why it serves 4-6. There’s room to have leftovers.

Ingredients Required

Here are the main ingredients to make this moroccan chicken stew recipe. As always, the full recipe card for this easy dinner is at the end of the post.

• Olive oil – for cooking
• Skinless boneless chicken breasts – you can use bone-in chicken if you’d like, just adjust cook time to suit. Remove bone before shredding the chicken.
• Vegetables – onion, carrots, celery, and diced tomatoes
• Garlic – for flavour, fresh is best but garlic powder can be used in a pinch.
• Chicken broth – the stock base, for simmering
• Lemon – slice and lemon juice, a nice compliment to the spices
• Kalama olives – olives are customary in Moroccan food
• Spice Blend – coriander, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon make up our moroccan recipes
• Fresh parsley – for garnish

How to Make this Moroccan Chicken Recipe

Seasoning chicken with salt and black pepper.

Place a large pot (dutch oven, cast iron pan, or heavy-based casserole pan) on the stove, over medium-high heat. Add one tablespoon of olive oil.

Add the chicken and cook on each side for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the chicken is golden brown. Remove chicken from the skillet and set aside.

In the same skillet add the rest of the olive oil, the onion, carrot and celery, and garlic. Allow to cook for 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened.

Reduce to medium heat and add the chicken stock, diced tomatoes, lemon juice, and olives. Then add in all the spices, and mix well.

Add the chicken in a single layer, and place the lemon slices on top. Allow this to simmer for 20 minutes. This is the perfect time to make a a side such as rice or couscous if you’d like.

Remove the chicken from the skillet and shred it. We have found the best way to do this, is by using two forks.

Place the shredded chicken back in the skillet and give a stir to combine.

Serve one pot moroccan chicken stew hot. Garnish with fresh parsley and/or lemon zest (if desired). 

What to Serve with this Recipe

Serve this stew over a bed of couscous (I like pearl couscous), or rice for a complete meal. Many moroccan side dishes feature Mediterranean salad or chickpea salad.

You can also add a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream to combat the bold flavor, and side with crusty bread or naan. Having bread is great for soaking up every last drop of this dish.

If you love healthy recipes, the best side dishes might be whole wheat pita bread, sweet potatoes, brown rice or cauliflower rice!

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just like chili, this main dish is even better the next day, as the flavours continually meld together.

You can also freeze this dish for 3 months. Just place cooled leftovers in a well sealed container or freezer safe bag, before storing in the freezer.

Moroccan Chicken Dish Variations

• If you’d like this more spicy hot: add some crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper
• You can swap green olives for the Kalama olives if you prefer.
• Instead of chicken breasts, use boneless thighs if you wish.
• Try fire-roasted tomatoes instead of regular diced tomatoes.

If you’re looking for more chicken recipes, try our creamy chicken stew. We also have a dedicated post of our Easy and Best Chicken Recipes.

More Chicken Recipes

• General Tso’s Chicken
• Sweet Chili Lime Grilled Chicken
• Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup
• Quick and Easy Curry Chicken
• Slow Cooker White Chicken Chili
• Skillet Chicken Pot Pie
• Peri Peri Chicken
• Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes