Spiced Moroccan Chicken and Rice
A fragrant one-pot Spiced Moroccan Chicken and Rice made with chicken thighs, basmati rice, chickpeas, tomatoes, and ras el hanout for a comforting, flavorful meal.
Servings
Ingredients
- 6 chicken thigh fillets approximately 800 g total, skinless
- 1/4 cup 60 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 1 bunch silverbeet; stalks thinly sliced 2 cups, leaves roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons ras el hanout
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups 400 g basmati rice
- 1 can 400 g chopped tomatoes
- 1 can 400 g chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 4 cups 1 L chicken stock
- 2 1/2 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander plus extra sprigs for serving
- Greek-style yoghurt to serve
Instructions
Brown the Chicken
- Season the chicken thigh fillets on all sides. Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large deep frypan over high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3–4 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Cook the Aromatics
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the sliced onion and silverbeet stalks to the pan. Cook for approximately 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.
Incorporate the Spices and Tomato Paste
- Add the ras el hanout and tomato paste. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the spices become fragrant and the tomato paste has deepened in color.
Add the Silverbeet Leaves
- Stir in the silverbeet leaves and cook for 1–2 minutes until the leaves are just wilted.
Combine Rice and Liquids
- Add the basmati rice, chopped tomatoes, chickpeas, and chicken stock. Season as desired. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring to combine.
Return Chicken to the Pan
- Nestle the browned chicken thighs into the rice mixture. Cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 25 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and the rice has absorbed the liquid.
Rest the Dish
- Remove the pan from heat and allow it to rest, loosely covered, for 5–10 minutes to allow the rice to finish steaming.
Serve
- Serve the dish topped with coriander sprigs and a spoonful of Greek-style yoghurt.
Notes
To make this Spiced Moroccan Chicken and Rice recipe gluten-free, use certified gluten-free chicken stock and ensure that the ras el hanout blend is labeled gluten-free, as some spice mixes may include fillers or be subject to cross-contamination. All other primary ingredients are naturally gluten-free.