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Moroccan Chicken and Rice with Dates & Olives – one skillet

Moroccan Chicken and Rice with Dates & Olives – one skillet

A delicious one-skillet Moroccan chicken and rice dish featuring dates and olives, perfect for a comforting meal.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Moroccan
Servings 6 servings
Calories 450 kcal

Equipment

  • 10-inch high sided skillet

Ingredients
  

For the Chicken

  • 3 cloves garlic, minced use a microplane if you have one
  • 1 whole lemon, zest reserve the lemon
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 6 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or one chicken, cut into 8 pieces

For the Rice

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ cup pine nuts or roughly chopped pistachios or a combination
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds or ground cumin
  • 1 cup basmati rice rinsed until the water runs clear
  • 6 pieces dates, pitted and diced
  • 12–16 pieces kalamata olives, pitted and diced
  • 2 ½ cups chicken broth / stock
  • 1 pinch saffron optional
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 whole preserved lemon thinly sliced, or lemon zest
  • 1 handful chopped parsley, mint or a combination

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • In a dish large enough to fit the chicken, mix together the minced garlic, lemon zest, sea salt, paprika, cumin, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, and the olive oil. Add the chicken to the dish and rub all over with the spice paste. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
  • Preheat the oven to 425°F.
  • In a large (10-inch) high sided skillet, heat the ¼ cup olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the nuts and cook, stirring often, until golden brown and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the oil in the pan.
  • Raise the heat to medium and add the onion and salt. Sauté until golden brown and slightly softened, stirring occasionally, about 5-6 minutes.
  • Add the cumin and the rice, stirring to get it coated with the oil and get a little toasty, about one minute.
  • Add the dates, olives, broth, and saffron, if using. Bring to a simmer.
  • Nestle in the chicken, so the skin is facing up and above the broth.
  • Carefully transfer to the preheated oven and roast for 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through to 165°F and the liquid has all been absorbed.
  • Allow to rest for 5 minutes and then squeeze in the lemon juice, and garnish with the preserved lemon, toasted nuts and fresh herbs.

Notes

Refrigerating the chicken for a longer time enhances the flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 450kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 28gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 600mgPotassium: 550mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 700IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg
Keyword Chicken, dates, easy recipes, olives, one skillet, Rice
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