With a 105F heat index, it’s too hot to cook inside so I’m grilling outside. My Moroccan Grilled Chicken recipe has almost all of the same components as my Chicken Tagine without having to heat up the entire house with my oven. Using the Tagine as inspiration, I’ve created a dry rub, a blend of spices to season my Moroccan Grilled Chicken recipe with the flavors of North Africa and the Mediterranean. For easier grilling, I start with a whole chicken that’s had its backbone removed so that it lays flat, the dry rub is sprinkled over both top and bottom of the chicken and left to absorb the flavors for at around 5-6 hours in the refrigerator. Grilled to juicy perfection, a mixture of grated ginger, garlic, olive oil, and lemon is brushed on in the final minutes of grilling to give the chicken a bright kick of seasoning.
Rather than couscous or rice (remember it’s too hot to cook inside) A foil packet, filled with olives, tomatoes, blood oranges, and onions is grilled alongside the chicken. This will provide the sauce and a dressing for a wilted arugula salad. Grilled stone fruits and oranges make a beautiful and delicious finish to this amazing and flavorful Moroccan Grilled Chicken recipe.
Here’s my Moroccan Grilled Chicken recipe:
Moroccan Grilled Chicken
Equipment
- Charcoal or Gas Grill
Ingredients
- 1 4-Pound Chicken Or Bone-in Chicken pieces of your choosing
- 4 Teaspoons Salt 1-teaspoon per pound of chicken
- 2 Teaspoons Ground Coriander
- 2 Teaspoons Smoked Paprika
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Turmeric
- 1 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Finishing Baste
- 1 Tablespoon Grated Ginger
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Crushed and chopped
- 1 Lemon Zest and juice
- 2 Tablespoons Olive Oli
Grilled Citrus and Olive Foil Packets
- 1 Orange Sliced
- 1/2 Cup Green Olives Pitted
- 1/2 Cup Kalamata Olives Pitted
- 1/2 Cup Red Onion Sliced
- 1 Cup Tomato Diced
- 1 Teaspoon Garlic Crushed and Chopped
- 1 Cup Carrots 1-inch dice
- 1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1/2 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
Instructions
Grilled Chicken
- Cut the chicken into quarters (or have the butcher do it), place in a large heatproof casserole dish so that it can lay flat
- Sprinkle both sides with the dry rub and let marinate for 5-6 hours
- Light the charcoal grill and pile the charcoal on one side of the grill. Place the foil packet of veggies directly over the coals, turning the packet every 5 minutes
- Place the chicken over indirect heat, not over the coals, turning frequently to avoid burning
- Grill the chicken for 35-45 minutes depending on size, until the juices run clear and the temperature registers 165F
- The last 1-2 minutes on the grill, use a grill brush and spread the finishing baste over both the bottom and skin side of the chicken, careful not to leave the baste over the flames too long, the garlic and ginger can turn bitter if allowed to burn.
- Remove from the grill, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes
Grilled Citrus and Olive Foil Packets
- Lay a large piece of foil flat on the counter, place all ingredients in the center of the foil
- Carefully fold the foil to create a leak-proof seal
- Repeat the process with the second layer of foil
- Place the foil pack over the hottest part of the grill at the same time as the chicken, carefully turn every 5 minutes
- This can be served either on top of the chicken as a sauce or tossed with baby arugula for a wilted arugula salad
Nutrition
