This Mediterranean dinner of Moroccan Chicken Stew with fluffy couscous is flavorful and healthy. An easy meal to make with rotisserie chicken from the store!
With chickpeas, tender chicken, juicy tomatoes and bell peppers, this easy Moroccan Chicken Stew is so tasty over a spoonful of couscous. You can roast a chicken yourself or grab a rotisserie chicken from the store to speed up preparation.
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Moroccan Flavors
No matter the occasion or time of the year, I love mediterranean food. This stew perfectly encapsulates the mediterranean feel with its many ingredients and fun flavors, as do other recipes like my Grilled Shrimp and Zucchini Couscous with Feta and Mint or my Mini Greek Lamb Burgers with Yogurt Sauce. Talk about the perfect combination of fresh and hearty meals.
What is couscous?
Couscous is sometimes thought of as a grain, but is actually a pasta made of semolina, wheat flour and water. However, it very closely resembles quinoa or brown rice, so the mix up makes sense. It can be used interchangeably with the grains for sure.
Make Moroccan chicken stew paleo or gluten free just by swapping the couscous for rice or cauliflower rice.
I love to use it as the base of a meal, like in this Moroccan Chicken Stew recipe, or I add it to my salads for texture and dimension. Couscous has fiber and protein, and not to mention, is fast and simple to make.
How to make couscous:
- Boil water (use 1 1/2 cups water for every dry cup of couscous).
- Add a pinch of salt and a little bit of butter or oil if desired.
- Add dry couscous and stir once.
- Cover with a lid and remove from heat.
- Let sit and steam for 5 minutes.
How to make the Moroccan chicken stew:
- Cook bell peppers, onions and garlic over medium heat until softened.
- Add diced tomatoes and juices and simmer 5 minutes.
- Add chickpeas, chicken, olives and parsley.
- Cook until heated through.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add 1/2 cup of water if sauce is too thick.
Make Moroccan Chicken Stew Paleo or Gluten Free by using rice or cauliflower rice
You can easily make this meal Paleo approved or gluten free by simply replacing the couscous with rice or cauliflower rice. The flavors stay the same, and by using brown rice, you can keep the same amount of fiber. With all of the vegetables and protein used in the stew, along with whatever side you choose to serve it on, you can go ahead and add this recipe to your list of favorite healthy dinners.
Moroccan Chicken Stew
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 small red and yellow bell peppers cut into 1-inch-long thick strips
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 2 cups rotisserie chicken shredded
- 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes and juices
- 1 14-oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- ½ cup kalamata olives pitted and quartered
- ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley plus more for garnish
- 1 cup whole wheat couscous cooked according to package directions
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add bell pepper, onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Add diced tomatoes and juices and simmer 5 minutes.
- Stir in chicken, chickpeas, olives and parsley. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes (if sauce is too thick, add up to ½ cup water); salt and pepper to taste. Serve over couscous and garnish with more parsley, if desired.
Notes
• Make this Paleo or gluten free by using rice or cauliflower rice in place of couscous.
Nutrition
Recipes and Food Styling Tara Teaspoon, Photograph Amy Kaylyn Sims, Prop Styling Barb Fritz. Originally published LHJ Jan 08.
Mary Bench says
Oh, this looks wonderful! must try
Tessa says
I love the mediterranean style foods! My mom would always put chicken broth in the couscous to make it extra flavorful.
Tara says
That's genius. That added flavor is always nice.