Moroccan Style Chicken Rice – 45-Minute Recipe
A fragrant one‑pot Moroccan chicken rice that blends aromatic spices, tender thighs, and fluffy basmati rice into a comforting family dinner. The dish balances savory chicken, tangy preserved lemon, and bright coriander for a burst of flavor in every bite. Quick to prepare, it’s perfect for a busy weeknight or a cozy weekend meal.
Recipe by John Gregory-Smith· Structured by ReelsMeals
From: Instagram(view original)
Rate this recipe
Save this recipe to your cookbook
Free, no account needed. Keep the source and find it again without searching the feed.
Watch the recipe video
Video plays from the original creator's platform. View the original video
Prep Time
Cook Time
Servings
Ingredients
- 1 3/10 lb chicken thighs
- 2 tsp ras el hanout
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 lemon
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 preserved lemon
- 8 4/5 oz basmati rice
- 14 oz chickpeas
- 1 9/10 cups chicken stock
- 2 1/10 oz olives
- a handful coriander leaves
- salt, to taste
- pepper, to taste
Instructions
- 11. In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken thighs with 1 tsp ras el hanout, 0.5 tsp ground cumin, 0.5 tsp turmeric, the juice of half a lemon, and plenty of salt and pepper; mix well.
- 22. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large non‑stick frying pan over medium heat and sear the chicken for 3–4 minutes per side; remove and set aside.
- 33. In the same pan, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, then add the roughly chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4–5 minutes until softened. Add the crushed garlic, finely chopped preserved lemon, the remaining 1 tsp ras el hanout, and 0.5 tsp ground cumin; cook, stirring, for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 44. Add the basmati rice and drained chickpeas, pour in the chicken stock, and stir to combine. Return the seared chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan, cover, and bring to a rapid boil for 6–8 minutes until most of the liquid evaporates. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18–20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is fluffy.
- 55. Scatter the sliced olives and chopped coriander leaves over the top and serve immediately.
Helpful tips while cooking
AI-assisted notes grounded in this recipe's ingredients, timings, and method—not additional creator instructions.
Marinate before searing
Combine the chicken thighs with ras el hanout, cumin, turmeric, lemon juice, salt and pepper, then mix well before cooking.
Use the same pan for all steps
After searing, keep the pan for sautéing onion, garlic, preserved lemon and spices, then add rice, chickpeas and stock.
Boil then simmer covered
Cover the pan, bring to a rapid boil for 6–8 minutes until liquid reduces, then lower heat and simmer 18–20 minutes.
One recipe link, ready for anywhere
Use it in Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, email, or a creator bio. It always opens this recipe and keeps the original source attached.
Publishing this recipe elsewhere? Add a visible credit link back to this page.
Publisher & backlink kit+
Give publishers a useful, properly credited asset. Backlinks only happen when another site chooses to publish and credit it.
Download the card, upload it to Google Lens, then use the outreach message for relevant uncredited copies. Contact only sites that actually reuse the asset.
About this saved recipe
Made this recipe?
Tap a star to rate it — ratings help other cooks decide what to make next.
Rate this recipe
This recipe card was structured automatically from the original source. Always check the source for allergens or details the extraction may have missed.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take to make Moroccan Style Chicken Rice?
- About 45 minutes in total: 15 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking.
- How many servings does this Moroccan Style Chicken Rice recipe make?
- This recipe makes 4 servings as written; ingredient quantities on this page can be scaled.
- Where does this Moroccan Style Chicken Rice recipe come from?
- It was shared by John Gregory-Smith on instagram.com. ReelsMeals structured the original post into this step-by-step card; the original is linked above.