Moroccan-Style Chicken and Rice

With African and Mediterranean influences, Moroccan cuisine features some of the most aromatic and deeply flavored dishes in the world—thanks to luscious combinations of spices and herbs. Paprika, cumin, cinnamon, saffron, turmeric, and coriander are all common in Moroccan dishes, as well as fragrant ginger, garlic, lemon, cilantro, parsley, and mint. Dried fruits such as raisins, dates, and apricots also make frequent appearances, and rice is often the base for stews or braised meat and poultry.

In short, this is a wonderfully rich and inviting cuisine. The recipe here uses many common Moroccan ingredients in a very simple preparation. Note: Don’t skip the dry-rub marinade for the chicken. The scent and flavors of the spices need time to penetrate the meat—and that first bite will make it very worth it.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp saffron threads (or ground turmeric)
• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, cut vertically into thin slices (about 2/3 cup)
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and very thinly sliced
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
• 1/3 cup black raisins
• 2 tsp finely chopped lemon zest
• 1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
• 3 cups cooked basmati rice, for serving

Aromatic Ingredients

Prepared Ingredients

Preparation

1. Combine the paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and turmeric in a large bowl. Place the chicken pieces in the bowl and toss with the spice mixture to coat well. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours (or overnight). Bring to room temperature before proceeding.

Chicken in Marinade 

Marinated Chicken

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown and soften, 4-5 minutes.
2. Season the marinated chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook, breaking chicken pieces in half, until the chicken is lightly browned on both sides and almost cooked through, 4-5 minutes. (Cover the pan a few minutes to help retain moisture, if needed.)
3. Add the chicken broth, apricots, raisins, and lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, until most of the liquid is absorbed, 4-5 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the parsley and mint. 

Onion Beginning to Cook

Cooked Onion

Chicken Mixture Added 

Cooked Chicken Mixture

Broth Mixture Added 

Herbs Stirred In

To serve, divide the rice among 4 shallow bowls and spoon the chicken mixture on top. Serve right away.

Moroccan-Style Chicken and Rice

Fish Wraps with Raita and Wilted Cabbage Slaw

These burrito-style fish wraps are light, fresh, and loaded with flavor. Creamy raita brings the tanginess of Greek yogurt to the dish along with cool cucumber and earthy, aromatic cumin. I added some crunch with a simple slaw of thinly sliced cabbage and red onion. (Toss the cabbage with a little salt and sugar and let it stand 30 minutes to slightly wilt it, then stir in the onions, oil, and vinegar—simple, crisp, and fresh.)

For this recipe, I used light, mild cod filets, but you can use a different fish if you prefer. Be sure to choose a mild-flavored one so it doesn’t compete with the rich, bold flavors of the raita and slaw.

Note: Traditional raita—a popular side dish often used as a dip in Indian cuisine—is made with grated cucumber. Here, I finely chopped it instead. Either way, it’s delicious.

For more traditional burritos, check out Easy Beef and Red Bean Burritos or Chicken and Black Bean Burritos with Fresh-Chile Sauce.

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 cup thinly sliced cabbage
• 1/4 tsp sea salt, plus more
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp finely chopped, peeled, seedless cucumber
• 1 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin
• freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp thinly sliced red onion
• 1 tsp plus 1 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 2 5-oz cod filets, about 3/4-inch thick
• 1/4 tsp chile powder
• 2 10-inch flour tortillas, wrapped in foil and warmed in a 250° F oven 

Raita Ingredients 

Cod Filets

Preparation

1. Place the cabbage in a bowl and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the sugar. Toss to combine and let stand 30 minutes.
2. Combine the yogurt, cucumber, parsley, lemon juice, and cumin in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate 20 minutes.
3. Add the onion, 1 teaspoon of olive oil, and vinegar to the cabbage and stir well to combine.

Cabbage with Salt and Sugar 

Raita

Wilted Cabbage

Wilted Cabbage Slaw

1. Meanwhile, heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, swirling to coat. Season the fish on both sides with chile powder, salt, and pepper and cook on 1 side 4 minutes. Turn and cook until slightly browned and just cooked through, about 3 minutes.
2. Remove from the heat and use a spatula to break each filet into 4-5 pieces.
3. Lay the tortillas on a work surface. Divide the fish in the center of each. Divide the slaw on top of the fish and dollop both with the raita.
4. Fold the bottom side (closest to you) over the filling, tucking it slightly underneath. Fold over both the left and right sides, then roll up to the top.

Cod Beginning to Cook 

Cooked Fish

Break up Filets 

Fish Layer

Slaw and Raita Added

Roll forward, fold over sides

Slice the wraps in half or serve whole.

Fish Wraps with Raita and Wilted Cabbage Slaw

Turkey Tostadas with Spicy Apple Salsa

There’s not much Mexican about these tostadas, but I think you’ll like the flavor combination that brings a little autumn flair to the dish—turkey and apple, even a little cinnamon.

Ground turkey is naturally lean, but the thigh meat is a little juicier than breast meat. I simply cooked it with some onion and garlic and spiced it up with cinnamon and chile powder. The hint of cinnamon in the finished dish is a tasty complement for the bright, fresh salsa.

Most of the ingredients here are common in salsas: spicy chiles, bell pepper, some  onion and cilantro, and a splash of fresh lime juice. But the star of this particular salsa is the crunchy, slightly tart, slightly sweet granny smith apple. I combined the other ingredients first to give them time to develop flavors together, then stirred the apple in before serving. This helps keep it super fresh and crisp—and avoids the browning that apples are prone to.

Makes 8 5-inch tostados

Ingredients

• 1 large or 2 small jalapenos, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves
• 3 tsp fresh lime juice, divided
• 1/2 tsp dried red chile flakes
• sea salt
• 8 5-inch corn tortillas
• olive oil, for brushing, plus 1 tbsp
• 1 lb ground turkey thigh
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1-1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp chile powder
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium-large granny smith apple
• shredded cheddar cheese and sour cream for serving 

Salsa Ingredients

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Combine the jalapeno, red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, 2 teaspoons lime juice, and chile flakes in a medium bowl and season with salt. Set aside.
3. Working in 2 batches, lay 4 tortillas on the prepared baking sheet and brush both sides lightly with olive oil. Bake 5 minutes and turn. Continue baking until crisp and golden, 2-3 minutes longer. Remove and let cool. Repeat with the remaining 4 tortillas. 

Combined Ingredients

Tortillas Ready to Bake

After Turning

Baked Tortillas

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, swirling to coat. Add the ground turkey, garlic, onion, cinnamon, and chile powder and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up the meat, until just cooked through and the liquid is absorbed, 8-9 minutes.
2. While the turkey cooks, core the apple and dice into very small pieces. Stir the apple into the salsa, along with the remaining 1 teaspoon of lime juice. Re-season with salt.

Turkey Mixture Beginning to Cook

Cooked Turkey Mixture

Diced Apple

Spicy Apple Salsa

To serve, divide the turkey mixture on top of the tostadas. Top each with salsa, cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. (Alternatively, serve the ingredients separately and let your guests build their own tostadas.)

Turkey Tostadas with Spicy Apple Salsa

Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with Apricot Butter

Juicy grilled lamb chops are excellent on their own with just a little salt and pepper. But sometimes a bit of sauce adds a tasty bite. Here, the “sauce” is actually a dollop of sweet and savory butter that melts over the grilled chops.

The ingredients are simple but the combination is very flavorful: Creamy, unsalted butter, sweet apricot preserves, savory sautéed shallot, and herbal, fresh rosemary come together in a little ball to divide and sit on top of the chops. Mmmmm.

You also may like Skillet-Seared Spiced Lamb with Pan Sauce or Grilled Lamb Chops with Pomegranate-Bourbon Sauce.

Serves 2 

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp very finely chopped shallot
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 tsp apricot preserves
• 1/2 tsp very finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 10-oz bone-in lamb loin chops, about 1-inch thick

Apricot Butter Ingredients

Preparation

1. Light a grill for medium-high heat.
2. Heat a very small skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the shallot and season with salt and pepper. Sauté until softened, 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool 5 minutes.
3. Place the butter, apricot preserves, parsley, and cooked shallot in a small bowl. Mash with a fork until well combined and smooth. Use a spoon to gather the butter mixture together into a ball. Set aside.

Cooked Shallot

Ready to Mash

Butter Mixture

1. Season the lamb chops with salt and pepper. Rub the grill grate with oil and grill the chops until charred on the outside and rare to medium-rare on the inside, 12-14 minutes total (depending on thickness), turning 1-2 times. Remove and let rest 3 minutes.

Seasoned Lamb Chops

Beginning to Grill

After Turning

Grilled Lamb Loin Chops

To serve, divide the apricot butter in half. Plate the chops and dollop each with one half of the butter. Serve right away.

Grilled Lamb Loin Chops with Apricot Butter

Pan-Cooked Apple and Pears with Maple Sauce

This rich, homey side dish is all about autumn (and fruit): pear, apple, onion, maple syrup—and fresh orange juice to complement the sweetness of the sauce. But complements need balances, and that’s where the tangy, tartness of the vinegar and mustard comes in. 

This simple, fresh-fruit, one-skillet dish comes together in about 20 minutes. I think your diners will find it very inviting.

Serving idea: with braised pork shoulder. Mmmmm.

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp whole-grain mustard
• sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 firm bosc pears, each cut into 16 wedges
• 1 large, firm red apple, cut into 16 wedges
• 1 very small onion, cut into thin vertical strips
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Fruit for the Dish

Preparation

1. Whisk the maple syrup, juice, vinegar, and mustard in a bowl until well combined. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat and add the butter and olive oil, swirling to combine.
3. Add the pear, apple, and onion and season with salt and pepper. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the fruit just begins to soften, 8-9 minutes.
4. Add the maple syrup mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the fruit is soft and the sauce is slightly reduced, 10 minutes.

Maple Syrup Mixture 

Prepared Ingredients 

Beginning to Cook

Beginning to Soften 

Cooked Mixture

Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.

Pan-Cooked Apple and Pears with Maple Sauce