This recipe has been designed for chicken thighs, but you can use different cuts of chicken, if thighs aren’t to your liking. Some chefs will actually make this recipe using a whole chicken, by doubling the spice blend ingredients and stuffing lemons into the chicken before roasting. Or you can use chicken breasts, if you’re more familiar with cooking this cut. The approach will be the same as in the recipe above, making sure you give the chicken breasts enough time in the oven to cook through completely.
In this recipe, we’ve suggested transferring your Moroccan chicken thighs to the oven. This step helps to ensure the chicken thighs cook evenly, without drying out, and crisps up the skin for the ideal crunchy texture.
For more Moroccan flavors, you can introduce chickpeas to this dish. You’ll just need to add the chickpeas with the brine to your onions when sautéing, and then allow it all to cook in the skillet when transferred to the oven. For added nutrition, some recipes for this dish will feature greens, including spinach, introducing higher iron content to the dish.
Spice Blend and Substitutions
We’ve shared a classic spice blend above for this dish, but this can be tweaked as preferred. You can mix in additional spices, such as cayenne pepper, for more heat and flavor depth in your dish. If you’d prefer to skip the step of blending the spices, you could use ras el hanout, a classic spice blend used in Moroccan cuisine. Complex and warm, ras el hanout can feature anywhere from 20 to 100 spices, depending on the region it’s been made in, and includes many of the spices suggested in our recipe above. If you’d like your chicken thighs even spicier, then don’t hesitate to add chili flakes. A kick of spice works brilliantly in this dish, if your palate can handle the additional heat.
Lastly, you can include herbs alongside the spice mix if desired. Herbs such as oregano work perfectly, as it brings a peppery and aromatic sweetness to the dish.
Serving Suggestions
Baked Moroccan chicken thighs are irresistible alongside a buttery corn on the cob, or crunchy and crispy roast potatoes. You could also take inspiration from other Moroccan dishes and plate the chicken thighs with a classic tagine, or fresh couscous recipe for a tasty lunch. Or shred the chicken and add it to dishes like tacos and salads for a spicy protein-rich addition.
Interested in exploring more Moroccan cuisine? Take a look at our guide featuring recommended restaurants to visit and other dishes to try in your kitchen at home.
