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Baked Moroccan Chicken with Pistachio Lemon Couscous

Baked Moroccan Chicken with Pistachio Lemon Couscous. Fuss free, flavourful spiced baked chicken. Serve it with super easy instant couscous. This side dish version adds crunch from pistachios and tangy zip from the lemon.

Baked Moroccan Chicken with Pistachio Lemon Couscous shown on a red serving platter

Baked Moroccan Chicken with Pistachio Lemon Couscous

Today’s very flavourful chicken dinner comes with a fragrant, delicious spice mix. One that will fill your home with inviting exotic aroma while it roasts in the oven.

The spice mix is something you can prepare in advance. You can even rub it onto the chicken pieces in the morning before work.

Moroccan Spices in cloth bags at an open market

Moroccan Spices

Or rub it on the evening before and let sit in the fridge until you get home after work.

This is the only advance preparation necessary. So the first person home can preheat the oven and pop the tender chicken pieces in.

Raw whole chicken on wooden cutting board

Frozen chicken can be used in a pinch but I find fresh chicken is much juicer when roasted.

They only cook for 45-55 minutes depending on the size of the chicken pieces you are using.

I use my meat thermometer to ensure the internal temperature reaches 170 degrees F. Then I just before remove the chicken from the oven and letting it rest for 5 minutes before serving and it’s always perfect.

Lemon cut in half on a wooden board

Fresh lemon in the couscous balances the fragrant spices in the chicken.

The high heat really crisps up the skin and seals in moisture. However, this recipe could just as easily be made with skinless chicken for a lower fat alternative and will be just as delicious.

We served this meal with some peas and some very tasty Pistachio Lemon Couscous.

Depositphotos stock photo of pistachio nuts

Pistachio Nuts

I used instant couscous which makes this terrific side dish very quick with very little effort. It’s another great side dish choice on a busy workday.

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Baked Moroccan Chicken with Pistachio Lemon Couscous shown on a red serving platter
Yield: 6 servings

Baked Moroccan Chicken with Pistachio Lemon Couscous

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Baked Moroccan Chicken with Pistachio Lemon Couscous - fuss free, flavourful spiced baked chicken served with super easy instant couscous that had added crunch from pistachios and tangy zip from the lemon.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 to 3 pounds of chicken pieces
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander seed
  • 1 tsp ground cardamom
  • 3/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Pistachio Lemon Couscous

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 tbsp freshly grated ginger root
  • 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
  • 1 1/2 cups instant couscous
  • 1/4 cup golden raisins
  • juice and finely minced zest of one lemon
  • 1/2 cup toasted unsalted pistachios
  • Additional pistachios and green onion for garnish, optional

Instructions

  1. Wash and well trim the chicken pieces of excess fat and skin. Pat dry with paper towels.
  2. Mix together the cinnamon, coriander seed, cardamom, turmeric, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, olive oil, salt and pepper into a paste.
  3. Rub the paste all over the chicken pieces. Cover and store in the fridge until ready to roast.
  4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the chicken pieces on a wire rack on a baking sheet and bake for 45-55 minutes or until the chicken pieces are completely cooked. I use my meat thermometer to get the internal temperature to 170 degrees F before removing the chicken from the oven and letting it rest for 5 minutes before serving. Serve with Pistachio Lemon Couscous.

To prepare the Pistachio Lemon Couscous

  1. In a medium saucepan, sauté together the olive oil, garlic and ginger root over medium heat for only a minute.
  2. Add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil before adding the instant couscous.
  3. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes before adding the raisins, lemon juice, lemon zest and pistachios
  4. Toss together well before serving. Garnish with additional toasted pistachios and chopped green onion.

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1 serving

Amount Per Serving Calories 627Total Fat 23gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 161mgSodium 354mgCarbohydrates 37gFiber 4gSugar 10gProtein 66g

The nutritional information provided is automatically calculated by third party software and is meant as a guideline only. Exact accuracy is not guaranteed. For recipes where all ingredients may not be used entirely, such as those with coatings on meats, or with sauces or dressings for example, calorie & nutritional values per serving will likely be somewhat lower than indicated.

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