Six months ago my sister came back from Morocco wouldn't stop talking about this chicken stew. Sweet and spicy. Weird spices. Said it was the best thing she ate the whole trip. Brought me back a spice mix called ras el hanout. Smelled like Christmas and curry had a baby. Said make chicken stew with it. I had no clue. Threw chicken thighs in the Instant Pot with the spices, chickpeas, and dried apricots because some recipe said to. Pressed the button and waited. House smelled crazy while it cooked. Like cinnamon and cumin and something else. Opened it up and this Moroccan chicken stew looked nothing like any stew I'd made. Orange from spices. Thick. Chicken falling apart.
Why You'll Love This Moroccan Chicken Stew
Made this enough to know why it beats regular stew. Those spices make your house smell insane. Sweet and savory together sounds wrong but works. Moroccan Chicken Stew thighs fall apart with a fork. Instant Pot makes it hands-off. Dump it in and leave for thirty minutes.
Feeds six or four with leftovers. Way cheaper than Moroccan Chicken Stew restaurants. Works in slow cooker or Dutch oven if no Instant Pot. Tastes better next day after sitting. Freezes great so double it. Can't totally wreck it. Forgot apricots once, still good. Used chicken breasts instead of thighs another time, dry but okay. Spices carry it even when you screw up.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Moroccan Chicken Stew
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How To Make Moroccan Chicken Stew Step By Step
- Smart Ingredient Swaps
- Tasty Ways to Make It Different
- Equipment FOR Moroccan Chicken Stew
- Storing Your Moroccan Chicken Stew
- Top Tip
- FAQ
- Time to Travel Through Your Kitchen
- Related
- Pairing
- Moroccan chicken stew
Ingredients You'll Need
For the Moroccan Chicken Stew:
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, cut into chunks
- 1 large onion, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon ras el hanout
- 1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) chickpeas, drained
- 2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup dried apricots, chopped
- Juice from 1 lemon
For Serving:
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Cooked couscous
- Flatbread or pita
- Plain yogurt for dolloping
- Lemon wedges
Optional Add-Ins:
- Sweet potatoes cubed
- Bell peppers diced
- Zucchini chunks
- Raisins instead of apricots
How To Make Moroccan Chicken Stew Step By Step
Prep the Chicken and Spices
- Cut chicken thighs into bite-sized chunks
- Season with salt and pepper
- Mix all the spices together in small bowl
- Set everything near your cooking pot
Sauté the Aromatics (Instant Pot Method)
- Turn Instant Pot to sauté mode
- Add olive oil and let it heat up
- Toss in diced onion and cook 3-4 minutes until soft
- Add minced garlic and grated ginger
- Cook 1 minute until you smell it
Brown the Chicken
- Add chicken chunks to pot
- Sprinkle spice mix over chicken
- Stir everything together so chicken is coated
- Cook 2-3 minutes just to brown the outside
- Doesn't need to be cooked through yet
Add Liquids and Vegetables
- Pour in diced tomatoes with juice
- Add chicken broth and stir
- Toss in chickpeas, carrots, and chopped apricots
- Scrape bottom of pot to get any stuck bits up
- Turn off sauté mode
Pressure Cook
- Put lid on Instant Pot and set valve to sealing
- Pressure cook on high for 15 minutes
- Let it naturally release pressure for 10 minutes
- Then quick release remaining pressure
- Open lid carefully, steam is hot
Finish the Stew
- Stir in lemon juice
- Taste and add more salt if needed
- Let sit 5 minutes so it thickens up
- Sauce should be thick not watery
Serve Hot
- Ladle over cooked couscous or rice
- Top with fresh cilantro
- Dollop of yogurt on top cools it down
- Serve with flatbread for dipping
Smart Ingredient Swaps
Chicken Options:
- Chicken thighs → Chicken breasts (leaner but drier)
- Boneless thighs → Bone-in thighs (more flavor, longer cooking)
- Chicken → Lamb chunks (more traditional, gamier)
- Poultry → Beef stew meat (different but works)
Spice Alternatives:
- Ras el hanout → Mix your own with cumin, coriander, cinnamon (close enough)
- Fresh ginger → Ground ginger powder (use 1 teaspoon)
- Cayenne → Red pepper flakes (same heat)
- All spices → Curry powder in a pinch (not Moroccan but okay)
Fruit Swaps:
- Dried apricots → Raisins or prunes (sweeter)
- Apricots → Dates chopped (different sweetness)
- Dried fruit → Fresh apples diced (less intense)
- With fruit → Skip it for savory-only version (less authentic)
Vegetable Changes:
- Carrots → Sweet potatoes (more filling)
- Chickpeas → White beans (creamier texture)
- Regular tomatoes → Fire-roasted tomatoes (smokier)
- Fresh veggies → Frozen mixed vegetables (easier)
Liquid Substitutes:
- Chicken broth → Vegetable broth (vegetarian with no chicken)
- Broth → Water with bouillon cube (cheaper)
- Lemon juice → Lime juice (tangier)
- Regular broth → Bone broth (richer, healthier)
Tasty Ways to Make It Different
Moroccan Chicken Stew with Couscous:
- Cook couscous separately according to package
- Fluff with fork and mix in some butter
- Serve stew directly over couscous in bowls
- Couscous soaks up all that sauce
- Traditional way my sister had it in Morocco
Moroccan Chicken Stew with Potatoes:
- Add 3 large potatoes cubed with the carrots
- Makes it heartier and more filling
- Potatoes soak up spices and turn golden
- Stretch it to feed more people
Moroccan Chicken Stew Slow Cooker:
- Brown chicken and onions in skillet first
- Transfer everything to slow cooker
- Cook on low 6-7 hours or high 3-4 hours
- Add lemon juice at the end
- Hands-off version for work days
Moroccan Chicken Stew with Apricots and Almonds:
- Double the apricots to 1 cup
- Toast sliced almonds in dry pan
- Sprinkle toasted almonds on top when serving
- Adds crunch and looks fancy
- My sister's favorite version
Equipment FOR Moroccan Chicken Stew
- Instant Pot or pressure cooker (6-quart size)
- Sharp knife for chopping chicken
- Cutting board
- Measuring spoons for spices
- Wooden spoon for stirring
- Small bowl for mixing spices
Storing Your Moroccan Chicken Stew
Refrigerator Storage (4-5 Days):
- Cool completely before storing
- Transfer to airtight container
- Store in fridge up to 5 days
- Actually tastes better day two after flavors blend
- Stovetop over medium heat works best
- Add splash of broth if it got too thick
- Microwave individual portions 2-3 minutes
- Stir halfway through reheating
Freezer Storage (3 Months):
- Cool completely first
- Portion into freezer-safe containers or bags
- Leave some room at top for expansion
- Label with date and contents
- Thaw overnight in fridge
- Reheat on stovetop stirring occasionally
- Add extra broth to loosen it up
- Freezes great, texture holds up fine
Top Tip
- My sister finally told me what made the stew in Morocco taste different from mine. They add preserved lemons. Little jars of lemons that fermented in salt. Sounds weird. You chop them up and throw them in. Adds this salty citrus punch you can't get from regular lemon juice.
- Found preserved lemons at a Middle Eastern grocery store. Tried it. She was right. That funky salty lemon flavor made it taste way more authentic. Now I always keep a jar in the fridge. Just dice up one preserved lemon and toss it in with the tomatoes. Our other discovery was toasting the spices first. Heat a dry skillet. Throw the cumin and coriander in for one minute until they smell nutty. Then add to the stew. Makes the spices taste deeper and less dusty. Takes one extra minute but worth it.
- The best accident was forgetting to add the apricots until the end. Threw them in after pressure cooking instead of before. They stayed chunkier and sweeter instead of dissolving into the sauce. Now I add them last ten minutes on purpose. Keeps them more intact so you get little bursts of sweetness instead of just sweet sauce.
FAQ
What's the secret to tender Moroccan Chicken Stew?
Use chicken thighs not breasts. Thighs have more fat so they stay juicy even after long cooking. Breasts dry out and get stringy. Don't overcook it. In the Instant Pot, 15 minutes on high pressure is perfect. Any longer and chicken shreds into mush. The spices help tenderize meat too.
What do you call a Moroccan Chicken Stew?
Tagine. Named after the clay pot with the cone-shaped lid they cook it in. But tagine also means the stew itself. You can make tagine in a regular pot, doesn't have to be the special clay one. Different regions make different tagines. Chicken tagine. Lamb tagine. Vegetable tagine. All are stews with those warm Moroccan spices. Some tagines have olives and preserved lemons.
What spices are essential for Moroccan chicken?
Cumin is number one. That earthy warm flavor is in everything Moroccan. Cinnamon is second. Sounds weird in savory food but it's the secret. Paprika for color and mild pepper taste. Use sweet paprika not smoked or it tastes Spanish not Moroccan. Ginger adds zing and warmth. Fresh is better but ground works. Coriander balances the cumin with citrus notes. Those five are essential.
What to serve with Moroccan chicken stew?
Couscous is traditional and soaks up the sauce perfectly. Takes 5 minutes to make. Pour boiling water over it, cover, fluff with fork. Rice works too if you don't have couscous. Flatbread or pita for scooping. Moroccans eat with bread more than forks. A simple cucumber tomato salad dressed with lemon cuts through the richness. Yogurt on top cools down the spices.
Time to Travel Through Your Kitchen
Now you know everything to make Moroccan chicken stew that tastes like you flew somewhere. From my sister's preserved lemon trick to the toasted spice discovery, this proves exotic cooking at home isn't scary just different spices.
Want more one-pot wonders? Try our Healthy Marsala Chicken Orzo Recipe for another warm spiced dinner. Need comfort food? Our Delicious Rotisserie Chicken Mushroom Soup Recipe brings layers worth the effort. Or make our The Best Chicken Enchiladas Recipe when you need dessert that wakes you up.
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Moroccan chicken stew
Moroccan chicken stew
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat olive oil, cook onions until soft, then add garlic and ginger to build a rich flavorful base.
- Coat chicken pieces evenly with Moroccan spices and brown slightly to deepen flavor before cooking.
- Stir in tomatoes, broth, chickpeas, carrots, and apricots to create a hearty, colorful stew mixture.
- Seal the Instant Pot and cook under high pressure until the chicken becomes tender and falls apart.
- Add lemon juice, adjust seasoning, and serve hot over couscous topped with cilantro and yogurt.
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