Moroccan-style chicken with olives
2
Points®
Total time: 4 hr 30 min • Prep: 15 min • Cook: 15 min • Serves: 4 • Difficulty: Easy
The delectable rub for this chicken uses a mix of Moroccan spices and aromatics—fennel seeds, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, and fresh grated ginger—with bright lemon zest and olive oil. While the spiced chicken finishes on the grill, lemons get added alongside it. Grilling the lemons not only helps them release more of their juices when squeezed, it also infuses them with a smokiness that transforms the flavor. It’s absolutely delicious. The dish is served with briny kalamata olives and a sprinkling of fresh parsley. For an easy side dish, cut small zucchini lengthwise into spears, lightly spray them with olive oil cooking spray, and grill until crisp- tender, about 6 minutes. They’ll taste wonderful with the grilled lemons.
Ingredients
Lemon zest
2 tsp, grated
Pitted Kalamata olives
16 olive(s)
Olive oil
1 tsp
Fresh ginger
1 tsp, grated peeled fresh
Fennel seeds
1 tsp, crushed
Ground cinnamon
¾ tsp
Ground cumin
¾ tsp
Ground cardamom
¾ tsp
Table salt
½ tsp
Uncooked skinless boneless chicken thigh
20 oz, 4 (5-ounce thighs)
Cooking spray
1 spray(s)
Lemon
2 item(s), large, each cut into 4 wedges
Fresh parsley
¼ cup(s), flat-leaf
Instructions
1
Combine lemon zest, oil, ginger, fennel seeds, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, and salt in large zip-close plastic bag; add chicken. Squeeze out air and seal bag; turn to coat chicken. Refrigerate, turning bag occasionally, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours.
2
Meanwhile, spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Preheat grill to medium-high or prepare a medium-high fire.
3
Remove chicken from bag. Place chicken on grill rack and grill, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Just before chicken is done, place lemon wedges on grill rack and grill, turning once, until lemons are lightly marked and slightly softened, 2–3 minutes. Transfer chicken and lemons to platter. Sprinkle chicken with olives and parsley.
4
Serving size: 1 chicken thigh and 4 olives
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