Moroccan chicken with olives is simmered in tomato sauce and filled with flavorful spices. Serve with white rice or couscous.
I love Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food.
These cuisines incorporate spices into their cooking to give it lots of flavor.
This dish is no exception as it calls for sweet paprika, cumin, and turmeric.
Also, like some Middle Eastern foods, this dish is inherently spicy. However, you can leave the hot pepper out if you prefer. Either way, it's a delicious dish.
One of the things I like most about this dish is the colors. I love the way the yellow chicken stands out against the red sauce.
In fact, that was one of the things that drew me to it in the first place. The yellow color comes from the turmeric, which is likely its main use in this recipe.
This may seem like a complicated recipe when you see the relatively long list of ingredients. However, like Moroccan Meatballs with Olives and Moroccan Fish, it's really easy.
Just boil olives, fry the vegetables, add everything to the pot and simmer. Done.
In fact, if you want, you can make this a one pot recipe. Just cook the olives in the same pot you'll be using later, pour the water out, and set them aside.
You can serve this dish along with couscous or white rice.
If I had to guess, I'd say traditionally it is served with couscous.
However, if you don't have it around, I often serve it with Israeli white rice.
If you like this Moroccan chicken and olives recipe, you may also like my Greek Lemon Chicken and Potatoes.
HOW TO STORE CHICKEN
Place cooled chicken in an airtight container or wrap in heavy-duty aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
HOW TO FREEZE CHICKEN
Freeze leftovers within 3-4 days. Place cooled chicken in an airtight container or resealable freezer bag.
Freeze for up to 4-6 months. After that, it is still safe to eat, but the quality begins to degrade.
Recipe Tip:
Among Israeli-Moroccans, it is common to add chicken bullion powder instead of salt. The bullion powder is already salted and adds extra flavor.
Recipes You May Also Like:
- Fried Chicken Without Buttermilk
- Dairy Free Beef Stroganoff
- Dairy Free Chicken Pot Pie
- Dairy Free Shepherd's Pie
- Dairy Free Lasagna
- Meatloaf without Milk
- Mashed Potatoes without Milk
Chicken with Olives
Chicken with olives is a Moroccan classic. Serve with white rice.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted olives (250 grams)
- 4-5 chicken legs, cut
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 6 garlic cloves sliced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 to 2 cups hot water (240 to 480 milliliters)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 hot pepper, optional
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Boil the olives in fresh water for 30 minutes or until you can slide a fork through them with ease. Spill out the water.
- Heat the oil. Sauté garlic and tomatoes.
- Add chicken, olives, and enough water to partially cover the sides.
- Mix in tomato paste, paprika, cumin, turmeric, and hot pepper if desired. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer. Cook for 40 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 391Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 205mgSodium: 501mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 40g
How did you season your chicken?
The chicken does not need to be seasoned. It gets plenty of flavor from the sauce and olives. Just cook as instruction.
A gorgeous recipe, my kids are crazy about it. I make the olives separately as they are not fans of olives but I love them. I add cubes potatos to the chicken in sauce. So so yummy! Just made a double batch for pesach. Thank you! Chag sameach
I'm really glad to hear you and your kids like it! Thank you for sharing that with me 🙂
What do I do with the boiled olives?
You add it the same time as you add the chicken and water 🙂