Sheet Pan Moroccan Chicken
This easy to make Sheet Pan Moroccan Chicken is loaded with chicken breasts (or thighs) butternut squash, carrots and red onion all coated in a warm blend of Moroccan spices and baked in the oven. The chicken and tender veggies are then garnished with crunchy pistachios and juicy pomegranate seeds and drizzled with a creamy tahini sauce. This delicious Moroccan Chicken is Paleo, Whole30, Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal.
WHY YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE THIS SHEET PAN MOROCCAN CHICKEN
- The blend of warm Moroccan inspired spices is so delicious and such a great alternative blend of flavours compared to other chicken dishes.
- It’s an all in one meal! There is no need to make any side dishes, it’s all cooked together and is very filling.
- The hands on prep time is less than 15 minutes, so it’s perfect for those busy weeknights when you have lots to do. Arrange everything on the sheet pan and then sit back and relax while it cooks in the oven.
- The sauce! Trust me, you do not want to skip the tahini sauce which is so good and totally makes the dish.
- Leftovers are super delicious enjoyed warm or cold over the following few days. Or for an easy way to switch it up, warm the veggies and chicken and add them to a big bowl of lettuce, toss in more pistachios and pomegranate seeds and use the tahini sauce as a dressing!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS SHEET PAN MOROCCAN CHICKEN
- Chicken: Boneless thighs or breasts both work for this recipe. I find that thighs have more flavour and tend to stay moist and not dry out as quickly as breasts. If you are short on time I would recommend cutting large breasts in half so that they cook quicker. If using bone in thighs or breasts increase the cook time by approximately 6 minutes. A meat thermometer is an easy way to ensure that the chicken is cooked through, you are looking for a temp of 165 degrees.
- Butternut Squash: this is my favourite squash thanks to its rich flavour. I recommend cutting the squash into thin strips to ensure that it cooks quickly. The butternut squash can also be substituted for sweet potato.
- Red Onions: I love the sweetness that roasted red onions add to the dish. The red onions can be substituted for large shallots or yellow onions.
- Carrots: Be sure to cut the carrots into chunks that are all about the same size so that they cook evenly.
- Spices: The combination of warm spices are what really give this recipe a Moroccan kick. I used a mix of cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and ginger.
- Lemons: Thin slices of lemon add a nice acidity to the dish and help to cut through the rich spices. Once cooked, the lemon rind can become very bitter, so removing the pieces from the tray before serving might help to prevent any surprises.
- Pomegranate Seeds: I like to garnish the chicken and veggies with pomegranate seeds right before serving. The pomegranate seeds give a nice burst of freshness to each bite. You can sometimes find containers of pomegranate seeds at the grocery store which will save you a lot of time. If you have a pomegranate and want to remove the seeds, I find cutting it in half, and removing the seeds while the pomegranate is submerged in a large bowl filled with water. I find this trick helps to minimize the spray of pomegranate juice with can stain things.
- Pistachios: Pistachios are often used in Moroccan dishes as a garnish. I find that they add a nice crunch to each bite.
WAYS TO MODIFY THIS SHEET PAN MOROCCAN CHICKEN
- You can use bone in chicken thighs, breasts or drumsticks, just be sure to lengthen the cook time.
- Don’t eat chicken? You can use boneless pork chops or pork loins in their place.
- Skip the chicken and serve the veggies as a delicious side dish
- Not following a bean free diet? Add a can of chickpeas in with the veggies before baking.
- Use shallots or yellow onions in place of the red onions
- Don’t have pistachios? Feel free to use chopped toasted almonds or flaked almonds in their place.
- Add 1/3 cup golden raisins or thinly sliced dried apricots with the veggies before baking.
WHAT’S IN THE TAHINI SAUCE?
The tahini sauce is what pulls everything together and really elevates this recipe. It’s a super simple combination of tahini, garlic, ginger and lemon that is all blended until smooth. Keep adding water to the sauce until its thin enough to drizzle over the veggies. You can make the sauce up to 3 days in advance and keep it in the fridge.
LEFTOVERS AND MAKE AHEAD:
You can cut all of the veggies a day or two in advance and store them in the fridge on the tray. The tahini sauce can also be made up to 3 days ahead. Once cooked leftovers will last up to 3 days in the fridge.
Here are a few other sheet pan recipes that you might enjoy:
- Sheet Pan Greek Chicken
- Salmon Nicoise Traybake
- Sheet Pan Chicken Piccata
- Spanish Chicken & Chorizo Traybake
- Summer Sheet Pan Frittata
- Full English Breakfast Traybake
- Salmon Teriyaki Traybake
If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!
Moroccan Chicken Traybake
This easy to make Sheet Pan Moroccan Chicken is loaded with chicken breasts (or thighs) butternut squash, carrots and red onion all coated in a warm blend of Moroccan spices and baked in the oven. The chicken and tender veggies are then garnished with crunchy pistachios and juicy pomegranate seeds and drizzled with a creamy tahini sauce.
Ingredients
- 3 carrots cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 cup sliced butternut squash
- 1 lemon cut into slices
- 2 medium red onions cut into wedges
- 4 chicken breasts (or 6 chicken thighs)
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup chopped pistachios
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or parsley
Tahini Sauce
- 1/4 cup tahini
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 inch piece ginger
- 3 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp paprika
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius)
- On a 18 x 13 inch* sheet pan arrange the carrots, red onion, butternut squash and sliced lemons.
- In a bowl whisk together the olive oil, cumin, paprika, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, salt and garlic. Pour 2/3 of the sauce over the veggies and use your hands to toss the veggies to ensure they are well coated in the sauce.
- Arrange the chicken breasts on the tray with the veggies and pour the remaining 1/3 of the sauce over the chicken. Place the tray in the oven to bake for 30-35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- To make the tahini sauce in a blender combine the tahini, lemon juice, garlic, ginger, water and paprika and blend until completely smooth.
- When the veggies and chicken are done cooking, remove from the oven and sprinkle the chopped pistachios, cilantro and pomegranate seeds overtop. Drizzle the tahini sauce overtop and serve and leftover on the side.
Notes
*don't use a sheet pan any smaller in size, the more space the veggies have to spread out, the more caramelized they will become on the edges
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!
I love this recipe, have made it twice now. This time I added cauliflower, and just used one red onion. I use craisins instead of Pom seeds, and usually need to add some salt. Delicious, thank you for sharing !
I used bone-in chicken leg+ thigh and almonds because I didn’t have pistachios.
Recommend: more salt, cut carrots a little smaller (they were still a little hard still) less ginger – my tahini was too gingery so I couldn’t really eat it. The pomegranate seeds were my favorite.
I would make it again.
I’ve made this several times and love it! If I don’t have pomegranates I skip or sub raisins. Still awesome.
I made this on the weekend and it was outstanding! I used 7 chicken thighs of various sized and cooked for about 40 minutes. The flavours were delicious. The sauce and the toppings are essential. I’ll be making this again.
It’s not clear where the red wine vinegar goes, from the instructions, but I’m guessing it belongs with the olive oil and spices to make the sauce for the veggies and chicken. Apart from that, I made the recipe as indicated. We thought it was ok. The chicken turned out a bit dry; I’m not convinced meat thermometers are accurate for boneless skinless chicken breast. That’s not the fault of the recipe, but I probably won’t make it again.
SO Tasty! We loved this! Thank you
I find myself making this over and over again. Jusy love this recipe.
Just made this tonight and happy to report it was delicious! You have such a knack for spice blends, this one is a total home run, too. All of the flavors blend together so well. I loved the spices with the tahini with the pomegranate seeds with the pistachios… Yum all around!