Easy 30-minute healthy Moroccan chicken tagine. Made with simple and clean ingredients like fresh tomatoes, onion, and warm Moroccan spices, this juicy chicken tagine is tender and perfectly spice! This one-pan dinner is made gluten-free, dairy-free, and low-fat. The best healthy Moroccan chicken tagine for a comforting dinner!
The Best Ever Healthy Moroccan Chicken Tagine
I make chicken dishes for dinner at least three times a week. Chicken is super versatile and is such an easy, and delicious, source of protein. I mean it’s relatively cheap, plus, who doesn’t like a comforting chicken dinner?
But this is no ordinary chicken dinner. It’s NEXT LEVEL! This is my healthy take on a traditional Moroccan chicken tagine! It’s light, deep with flavor, and incredibly tender. This Moroccan chicken recipe takes things to a new level of deliciousness and it only takes 30 minutes to make! Any level cook can make this recipe (even beginners!)
Think fresh lemon, salty olives, fresh vine tomatoes, and lots of aromatic spices. Served over pearl couscous and topped with fresh cilantro and slivered almonds, this tagine is quick, easy, made in one pan, and super nutritious! Perfect for family dinners, meal prep, athletes, and kids!
How I Made This Moroccan Tagine Healthier:
This flavorful and Moroccan-spiced chicken is clean, nutritious, and incredibly tasty! To make this easy chicken dish, you only need a few very simple ingredients, all of which are healthier alternatives to what you’ll find in store-bought brands or restaurant take-out. There are no added sugar or random ingredients in this recipe! Here are four ways that I made this healthy Moroccan chicken tagine more nutritious and health-friendly without taking away from the taste!
- I used fresh vine tomatoes full of vitamin C and potassium.
- Used chicken stock to increase the depth of flavors rather than heavy cream or butter to make this dish dairy-free!
- Added fresh carrots for lots of vitamin A!
- Used slivered almonds to add healthy fats & vitamin E.
Ingredients in moroccan chicken tagine
You’ll only need a few, simple ingredients to get this easy dinner recipe going! I am all about simplicity and ease, so don’t worry, you won’t need to go to the supermarket and buy a lot of expensive ingredients and spices. You probably have most of these ingredients in your pantry already. For this easy paleo dinner recipe, you’ll need chicken broth, tomatoes, and of course, chicken!
- Chicken breasts or pre-cut tenders
- Moroccan Spices: Cumin, Ground ginger, Turmeric, Ground cinnamon
- Salt & Pepper
- Olive oil
- Yellow onion
- Medium carrots
- Roma or vine tomatoes
- Pitted castelvetrano olives
- Garlic cloves
- Lemon
- Chicken broth
- Fresh cilantro
- Slivered almonds
Easy Ingredient Substitutions for healthy chicken tagine
You guys probably know by now that I love simple and easy recipes! If you don’t love every ingredient in this one, I am here to help you out with a list of the very best substitutions!
Make this dinner vegan! Just substitute the chicken with chickpeas and use vegetable broth not chicken broth. To prepare, start with sautéing you onions and carrots and add in the chickpeas with the tomatoes on step 5!
Roma Tomatoes: Simply use any vine tomato instead!
Nut-Free? Just leave out the almond!
Castelvetrano olives: Simply use any type of olives or just leave out!
Cilantro: You can try to use parsley too!
Looking for other tasty dinner recipes? Check these out!
What You’ll Need to Make Easy 30-minute chicken tagine
For this easy healthy dinner recipe, you’ll only need a couple of kitchen tools making the clean up super easy!
- Chopping Knife
- Cutting Board
- One Large Deep Saute Pan
- Stirring Utensil
- Measuring cups: 1/2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, 1/4 cup, 1 cup.
How to Make Easy Healthy Moroccan chicken tagine
My favorite thing about this simple and easy chicken dinner recipe (besides the taste of course) is how easy they are to make! This recipe is the absolute perfect healthy family dinner or healthy meal prep recipe; plus, this Moroccan chicken is gluten-free, grain-free, paleo, and dairy-free!
First, let’s prepare the chicken! Place the chicken tenders onto paper towels and pat dry. Generously season with salt and pepper.
After that, combine the spices in a small bowl and set aside. If enjoying with couscous prepare according to package. You can pair it with any grain or pasta!
Then, place large deep saute pan on the stovetop and heat 1 tbs of olive oil to medium. Add chicken tenders to pan and cook for 2 – 3 minutes per side. Remove tenders from the pan with tongs and place on a clean plate to the side while you prepare vegetables.
Meanwhile, in the same pan, on medium heat, add sliced onion and carrot coins. Cook down for 5 minutes until lightly browned and transparent. Then, add in diced Roma tomatoes, olives, minced garlic, lemon juice, and all the spices. Stir together and cook for additional 5 minutes.
After that, add the chicken tenders back to the pan, stir, and cover with the vegetables. Add in chicken broth and stir in the fresh cilantro. Bring to a simmer and cook for an additional 6 – 8 minutes.
Garnish with more fresh cilantro and slivered almonds, if you like. Serve over couscous and enjoy!
How to Store Extra Healthy Easy Moroccan Tagine
Make extra healthy Moroccan chicken tagine? No worries, I love to save my extras in a sealed airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days!
Did you make this recipe?
If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don’t forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!
Healthy Moroccan Chicken Tagine
Ingredients
- 1 lb chicken breast, 2 - 3 medium, cut length-wise into tenders
- 1 ½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp salt, more to taste
- 1 tsp black pepper, more to taste
- 1 Tbps olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, halved and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 3 medium carrots, thinly sliced
- 3 medium Roma tomatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 10 pitted castelvetrano olives
- 3 - 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lemon, juiced
- 1 cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Toppings:
- ¼ cup slivered almonds
- Fresh cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Place chicken tenders onto paper towels and pat dry. Generously season with salt and pepper.
- Combine the spices in a small bowl and set aside. Prepare couscous according to package.
- Place large deep saute pan on stovetop and heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil to medium. Add chicken tenders to the pan and cook for 2 - 3 minutes per side. Remove tenders from the pan using tongs and place on a clean plate to the side while you prepare the vegetables.
- In the same pan, on medium heat, add sliced onion and carrot coins. Cook for 5 minutes until onion is lightly browned and transparent.
- Add in diced Roma tomatoes, olives, minced garlic, lemon juice, and all the spices. Stir together and cook for additional 5 minutes.
- Add chicken tenders back to the pan, stir, and cover with the vegetables. Add in chicken broth and stir in fresh cilantro. Bring to a simmer and cook for an additional 6 - 8 minutes.
- Garnish with more fresh cilantro and slivered almonds, if you like. Serve over couscous or any grain!
Notes
Nutrition
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Tula J says
First time trying a Moroccan dish and this was so good. Easy to make and really flavorful!
Tati Chermayeff says
YAY Tula! This makes me so happy; I am so glad that you liked this recipe and got to try out a new cuisine!
Kate Johnson says
Great easy and yummy recipe! I really reccomened trying (sounds like a crazy flavor combination but it is really good).
Tati Chermayeff says
Kate, YAY! So fantastic to hear 🙂