Description
A fragrant and flavorful Moroccan Chicken & Rice recipe combining aromatic spices, tender chicken thighs, sweet apricots, and green olives simmered to perfection and served over fluffy basmati rice, garnished with fresh cilantro and toasted almonds.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Spice Mixture
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Broth and Vegetables
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juices
- 1 cup carrots, sliced
- 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
- 1/2 cup green olives, pitted and sliced
Rice and Garnish
- 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
Instructions
- Sauté Onion: Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Cook Spices and Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, ground turmeric, ground ginger, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 1 minute until the spices become fragrant.
- Brown Chicken: Add the chicken pieces to the pot, season with salt and black pepper, and brown them on all sides, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add Broth and Tomatoes: Pour in the chicken broth and canned diced tomatoes with their juices. Stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add Vegetables and Fruit: Add the sliced carrots, chopped dried apricots, and green olives. Stir to distribute evenly.
- Simmer the Mixture: Cover the pot and let the mixture simmer on low heat for 20 minutes to meld flavors and cook the chicken through.
- Cook Rice Separately: In a separate pot, bring the basmati rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes or until rice is tender and water is absorbed.
- Combine Rice and Chicken Mixture: Once the chicken mixture is cooked, add the cooked rice to the pot and mix everything together gently to combine.
- Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle the dish with fresh chopped cilantro and toasted slivered almonds before serving for added freshness and crunch.
Notes
- To toast almonds, heat a dry skillet over medium heat and stir almonds until fragrant and lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes.
- You can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breasts but cooking time might be slightly less.
- Adjust cayenne pepper for preferred heat level.
- For a vegetarian option, replace chicken with firm tofu and use vegetable broth.
- Make sure to rinse basmati rice before cooking to remove excess starch for fluffier rice.
