Slow Cooker Moroccan Spiced Chicken

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recipe by Drop https://getdrop.com/

  • Time icon
    Total Time
    4hrs 20mins
  • Serves icon
    Serves
    6
  • Calories icon
    Calories
    510
based on 3 ratings

Similar to a tagine, but made in a slow cooker! This recipe takes just a few minutes more prep than most slow cooked recipes, and it's worth it the extra steps. A savoury, complex chicken dish with it's own sauce, this dish brings together toasty North African spices, a gentle sweetness from dried apricots and prunes, with an extra zing from the preserved lemon. You can adapt this recipe to work with a tagine, or even on the stovetop, but the extra time spent in a slow cooker really lets the flavors blend. Get it started early, leave it on low and forget about it for 3-4 hours, and come home to an aromatic, dinner-party worthy meal that's ready to go. Serve with cous cous, bulghur, or any favourite grain, and top with a sprinkle of parsley and toasted almonds or pine nuts. You can buy whole preserved lemons in many middle eastern shops, and they're not easily replaced in this recipe- they have mellower, salty-bitter acidity thats different to fresh lemons. If it's hard to find them, here's a substitute: Slice a lemon and saute in a little bit of olive oil until the rind softens. Sprinkle with a pinch each of salt and sugar, let cool, then dice (include the rinds.)

recipe updated 18 Feb 2022

Ingredients

  • Olive oil icon
    Olive oil
    1 tablespoon
  • Chicken thighs icon
    Chicken thighs
    6
  • Ground cumin icon
    Ground cumin
    1 teaspoon
  • Ground coriander icon
    Ground coriander
    1 teaspoon
  • Ground cinnamon icon
    Ground cinnamon
    ½ teaspoon
  • Ground ginger icon
    Ground ginger
    ½ teaspoon
  • Allspice icon
    Allspice
    ½ teaspoon
  • Black pepper icon
    Black pepper
    ¼ teaspoon
  • Kosher salt icon
    Kosher salt
    1 teaspoon
  • Garlic clove icon
    Garlic clove
    3
  • Onion icon
    Onion
    1
  • Dried apricots icon
    Dried apricots
    30 g
  • Preserved lemon icon
    Preserved lemon
    20 g
  • Prunes icon
    Prunes
    90 g
  • Chicken stock icon
    Chicken stock
    360 ml
  • Saffron threads icon
    Saffron threads
    1 pinch
  • Almonds icon
    Almonds
    as needed
  • Fresh parsley icon
    Fresh parsley
    as needed

Tools

  • kCook icon Stove
  • kCook icon Slow cooker
  • kCook icon Medium bowl
  • kCook icon Frying pan
  • kCook icon Small bowl

Step preview

  1. Add a clean frying pan - medium-high heat
  2. Add chicken thighs to the frying pan
  3. Sear each side until lightly browned - medium-high heat
  4. Transfer carefully in slow cooker
  5. Add ground cumin, ground coriander, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, black pepper and kosher salt to a clean small bowl then set aside
  6. Add garlic clove and onion to the frying pan
  7. Fry until softened - medium-high heat
  8. Transfer spices to frying pan
  9. Sauté until fragrant - 1 min, medium-high heat
  10. Transfer in slow cooker
  11. Transfer a clean medium bowl in slow cooker
  12. Cook until tender - 4 hr
  13. Serve
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