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    Home » African Keto Recipes » Chermoula Chicken

    Aug 10, 2022

    Chermoula Chicken

    Published on Aug 10, 2022. Updated on Oct 4, 2022. By Tayo. This post may contain affiliate links. See Disclosure. Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe
    Chermoula Chicken-pinterest

    Moroccan Chermoula chicken is an exciting way to cook chicken that no one can resist. You can serve this chicken recipe for lunch or dinner any day of the week, and it's always a winner!

    chermoula chicken close up

    Slathered with Chermoula paste and lightly fried, then baked, this aromatic Moroccan sauce chicken is the truth! It will have your family and guests begging for more till it's all gone.

    Jump to:
    • ❤️ Why you'll love it
    • 💭  What is chermoula?
    • 🧾 Ingredients Used
    • 🔪  How To Make This Recipe
    • 🥫 Storing and Reheating
    • 🍽️ What can I eat this recipe with?
    • 💭 Tips on making this recipe
    • 👩‍🍳 Frequently asked questions
    • 📚 Related Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    ❤️ Why you'll love it

    You will absolutely love this mouthwatering chicken flavor with bold, ethnic flavors. It cooks the chicken tender and crisp, and the taste of the sauce completely saturates it.

    It drenches the chicken pieces in aromatic, mind-blowing flavors, and the chicken turns out so deliciously juicy!

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    Chermoula chicken is also great for leftovers. You can use leftover chermoula chicken in a myriad of dishes. You're only limited by your imagination.

    💭  What is chermoula?

    Chermoula sauce is a North-African paste that you typically serve with chicken or fish. It usually contains olive oil, coriander, parsley, cilantro, ground cumin, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, or lime juice.

    Some say chermoula is the Moroccan version of pesto sauce, only without nuts and a lot tastier. It also has numerous nutritional benefits, including inflammatory and immune system support.

    🧾 Ingredients Used

    The following are affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    chicken, chermoula sauce, spices
    • Chicken thighs: I use four bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. But you can use chicken breasts or your favorite chicken parts.
    • Olive oil: You'll need a drizzle of olive oil to fry the thighs. You can use your favorite cooking oil instead.
    • Chermoula paste: This spicy Moroccan sauce is what gives this recipe an amazing flavor!
    • Spices: Salt and black pepper.

    🔪  How To Make This Recipe

    1. Preheat your oven to 400F.
    2. Rinse your chicken thoroughly under running water and pat each chicken leg or thigh dry with a paper towel. 
    3. Rub the chicken with salt and a little black pepper.
    4. Add olive oil to a skillet or large frying pan on medium heat. When heated, brown the chicken for 10 minutes, flipping halfway.
    5. Rub the chermoula paste on the chicken and place it in the oven in a cast-iron pan or a roasting tray.
    6. Roast for 15-20 minutes. Add more chermoula paste to the chicken thighs and serve.
    making chermoula chicken

    🥫 Storing and Reheating

    Store leftover chermoula chicken in the refrigerator for up to four days. Remember to first put it in an airtight container to preserve its freshness properly.

    You can also freeze it to store it for longer. First, place them on a baking sheet and freeze them for about an hour or two. Then transfer them to an airtight container or sealable freezer bag and freeze.

    Reheat the leftovers in a skillet on the stovetop till hot. You can also pop them in the microwave oven or reheat them in your oven.

    🍽️ What can I eat this recipe with?

    You can enjoy this chermoula recipe as a standalone meal or with a large variety of dishes. On a low-carb diet, I pair it with some cauliflower rice or broccoli rice, or veggies. They go wonderfully with steamed or air-fried vegetables.

    Alternatively, you can rip up leftovers and put them in a salad or wrap. You can't go wrong, whichever way you choose to enjoy chermoula chicken!

    delicious chermoula chicken in pan

    💭 Tips on making this recipe

    • Make this recipe an easy one-skillet dish using a cast-iron pan from the stovetop to the oven. This means less cleanup for you.
    • Ensure you fry the chicken in a single layer in the skillet, so they brown evenly.
    • Frying the chicken pieces before baking will give them a nice crispy skin.
    • Since you fry then bake the chermoula chicken thighs, there's no need to use a meat thermometer to check its doneness.
    • You can skip frying the chicken thighs, but the chicken skin won't be very crispy. Simply bake them for 40 - 45 minutes instead.

    👩‍🍳 Frequently asked questions

    Where does Chermoula spice come from?

    Chermoula is a North African spice blend that comprises fresh herbs like cumin, coriander, garlic, cilantro, and other herbs. Olive oil is added to this blend to make a paste you can eat raw or cooked. It originated in Morocco but is widely gaining popularity worldwide.

    What is similar to chermoula?

    Chermoula is sometimes called African pesto sauce, but it doesn't contain any nuts. Instead, it contains fresh cilantro leaves, fresh coriander, flat-leaf parsley, and ground spices. It also includes olive oil to make it a paste. Argentinian Chimichurri sauce is sometimes used as a substitute. However, it contains red wine vinegar instead of lemon juice.

    📚 Related Recipes

    Enjoy these other healthy chicken dinners!

    Air Fryer Chicken Wings

    Instant Pot Chicken Leg Quarters

    Air Fryer Whole Chicken Wings

    Ninja Foodi Whole Chicken

    Poulet Yassa - Senegalese Chicken

    Air Fryer Bone In Chicken Thighs

    Air Fryer Chicken Breast

    chermoula chicken close up

    📖 Recipe

    moroccan chermoula chicken ready to eat

    Chermoula Chicken

    Moroccan Chermoula chicken is an exciting way to cook chicken that no one can resist. You can serve this chicken recipe for lunch or dinner any day of the week, and it's always a winner!
    5 from 1 vote
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    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: African
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 430kcal
    Author: Tayo Oredola
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    Ingredients

    • 4 chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 3 tablespoon olive oil
    • 4 tablespoon chermoula paste
    • 1 teaspoon black pepper

    Instructions

    • Rub the chicken with salt and pepper.
    • Preheat the oven to 400F.
    • Add olive oil to a skillet.
    • Brown the chicken for 10 minutes, flipping halfway.
    • Rub the chermoula paste on the chicken and place it in a cast-iron pan.
    • Roast for 15-20 minutes.
    • Add more chermoula paste to the chicken and serve.

    Notes

    This recipe serves 4 and contains 1 net carb per serving.
    • Make this recipe an easy one-skillet dish using a cast-iron pan from the stovetop to the oven. This means less cleanup for you.
    • Ensure you fry the chicken in a single layer in the skillet, so they brown evenly.
    • Frying the chicken pieces before baking will give them a nice crispy skin.
    • Since you fry then bake the chermoula chicken thighs, there's no need to use a meat thermometer to check its doneness.
    • You can skip frying the chicken thighs, but the chicken skin won't be very crispy. Simply bake them for 40 - 45 minutes instead.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 868mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 0.2g | Vitamin A: 91IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg
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