Imagine the aromas of Morocco filling your kitchen; that’s what you get with this simple yet exotic Moroccan Roast Chicken and Potatoes. This recipe is a gem, bringing the vibrant flavors of Morocco right to your dinner table with minimal fuss.
What You'll Need
Here's a list of ingredients to get you started:
- Whole chicken - A 4-pound chicken works well, but any size will do.
- Baby potatoes - These cook in time with the chicken.
- Cherry tomatoes
- Garlic
- Dried apricots - Roughly chopped, they add a heavenly taste.
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
Spice Mix Ingredients:
- Coriander
- Paprika
- Cayenne pepper
- Sumac - For a tangy, lemony touch. A little lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice can be a substitute.
- Black pepper
- Cumin
- Ground Cinnamon - Adds a sweet, woody flavor.
Equipment
First of all, a tagine is a pot which comes with a tall, conical shape lid, you probably see them every time you walk through a kitchen store. Cooking in a tagine couldn’t get any easier, the easiest one pot cooking there is - full stop. As the food cooks, steam rises into the cone, and sends it back down to the dish, which in turn eliminates the need for a lot of liquid. If you don’t have a tagine, no worries, a Dutch oven or any pot with a lid will work just as well. Although I used a 1.5 qt tagine in this recipe a large skillet would work just as well. You will need a lid or aluminum foil to cover the skillet while in the oven. A Dutch oven would work as well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Follow these simple steps to create your Moroccan masterpiece:
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (175℃).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the coriander, paprika, cayenne pepper, sumac, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and salt.
- Grab your chicken. Clean the chicken, pat it dry, and make sure to remove the bag with chicken giblets, if your chicken has it. We want those spices to stick!
- Rub the spice mix all over the chicken, making sure you cover every nook and cranny.
- In a separate bowl, toss together the baby potatoes, cherry tomatoes, garlic, and dried apricots. Drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over the potatoes and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Toss everything together and add to the tagine, spread the potatoes around the chicken.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of the tagine - this prevents sticking and adds a bit more flavor. Gently place your spice-rubbed chicken in the center.
- Cover the tagine with the lid and bake in the oven for about 1 hour and 45 minutes to 2 hours.
- To check if your chicken is done, insert an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh, and if the temperature reaches 165℉ (74℃) the chicken is cooked through. Your chicken is perfectly cooked when the internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165℉ (74℃). If you don’t have a thermometer, another way to check is to see if the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh with a knife. Also, the meat should be tender and easily pull away from the bone.
This Moroccan Roast Chicken and Potatoes is slowly cooked in a tagine and filled with intense Moroccan flavor. While this Moroccan Chicken and Potatoes is a meal on its own, you can still serve it with some other great dishes.
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Tips for Success
- Marinate for More Flavor: If you have time, marinate the chicken with the spice rub overnight.
- Baste for Moisture: Halfway through cooking, baste the chicken with the juices collected at the bottom of the tagine.
- Check for Hot Spots: If using a tagine or Dutch oven, rotate it occasionally in the oven.
- Let It Rest: Once done, let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when my chicken is done?
Your chicken is perfectly cooked when the internal temperature at the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165℉ (74℃). If you don’t have a thermometer, another way to check is to see if the juices run clear when you pierce the thigh with a knife. Also, the meat should be tender and easily pull away from the bone.
What if I can’t find sumac?
No sumac, no problem! A good substitute is a little lemon zest or a squeeze of lemon juice. It won’t be exactly the same, but it will give you a similar citrusy, tangy flavor.
Can I use chicken pieces instead of a whole chicken?
Certainly! Using chicken pieces can make the dish even more convenient to serve. Just keep in mind that the cooking time might be slightly less than with a whole chicken. Keep an eye on the temperature of the meat to ensure it’s cooked through.
How long will this chicken keep?
Leftovers from this chicken will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can even freeze it in the freezer for up to a month.
What is braising?
Braising is a cooking method that involves cooking food, typically meat and vegetables, in a small amount of liquid. This liquid could be broth or wine. The food is first seared or browned in a hot pan to create a nice, flavorful crust. Braising usually involves cooking covered in a Dutch oven over a period of time to prevent the food from drying out. The slow, gentle cooking method allows tough cuts of meat to become tender and flavorful and also helps to infuse the food with flavors in the cooking liquid.
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What other veggies can I use to braise this chicken?
Potatoes are a great vegetable to use with this chicken. But you can also use other veggies like sweet potato, parsnips, carrots, etc. What is important is to ensure the vegetable is tender in the finished recipe.
Variations to Try
- It is also very common in Moroccan Chicken Tagine to add green peas! If you’d like to add green peas, add them towards the end in the last five minutes since they don’t need much cooking time.
- You can use green olives or black olives but the more traditional kind of olives to use are Moroccan-cured black olives.
- Traditionally, Moroccan Chicken Tagine is served with french fries and bread. It is not eaten with rice! My mom makes it with french fries or these circular fried potato rounds that are sooo so good. To make this recipe one pan though, we used small roast potatoes cut in half. If you’d like french fries instead, skip the baby potatoes.
Additional Tips
- Don’t over cook the chicken or it will become dry. Use a temperature probe if you have one or an instant read thermometer.
- While the chicken is resting, put the sweet potato-fruit medley back into the oven to brown/caramelize more.
- Add-ins: a drizzle of honey and chopped nuts over the chicken before serving.
Serving Suggestions
You’ll only need a simple additional side at most. Serving this recipe for company? You can’t cook with your tagine directly on open flame if you have a gas stove.
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