Moroccan Spiced Chicken and Freekeh Skillet

This one-skillet dinner brings the warm, smoky spice of Morocco straight to your weeknight table while staying true to Mediterranean diet principles. Bone-in chicken thighs are rubbed generously with ras el hanout — a fragrant North African spice blend of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and ginger — then seared skin-side down until deeply golden and crisp. The rendered chicken fat is used to bloom garlic, onion, and more spices before nutty whole-grain freekeh, sweet roasted red peppers, and salty green olives are simmered together in a savory broth, soaking up all the flavor left behind in the pan. Freekeh, an ancient roasted green wheat, is a fiber-rich whole grain that fits beautifully into a Mediterranean way of eating, offering more protein and fiber than rice or couscous. Paired with extra virgin olive oil, lean poultry, vegetables, and olives, this dish checks every box for a heart-healthy, plant-forward dinner without sacrificing bold flavor. A finish of fresh lemon juice, parsley, and mint brightens the richness of the chicken and spices, making this a vibrant, satisfying meal that comes together in one pan with minimal cleanup. Serve it straight from the skillet with a simple cucumber-tomato salad or a dollop of plain yogurt on the side for a complete, restaurant-worthy dinner that's just as good for a weeknight as it is for guests.</long_description> <parameter name="meta_description">One-skillet Moroccan chicken with ras el hanout, freekeh, roasted peppers &amp; olives — a bold, heart-healthy Mediterranean dinner ready in under an hour.

Ingredients

• 6 piecebone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, about 2 lbs
• 2 tbspRas el hanout spice blend, divided
• 1 tspkosher salt
• 2 tbspextra virgin olive oil
• 1 mediumyellow onion, diced
• 4 clovegarlic, minced
• 1.5 cupWhole grain freekeh, rinsed
• 3 cuplow-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cuproasted red peppers, sliced, jarred in water, drained
• 0.75 cupgreen olives, pitted
• 1 wholelemon, juiced, plus wedges to serve
• 0.25 cupfresh parsley, chopped
• 2 tbspfresh mint, chopped
• 0.5 tspblack pepper, freshly ground

Method

No instructions listed.