Moroccan-Spiced Chicken with Carrots
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This spiced-up sheet-pan chicken dinner is easy and bold-tasting! Boneless chicken thighs are seasoned with Mediterranean spices and roasted with chunks of carrots, and fresh orange slices. This quick and easy dinner recipe is wonderful served with buttered couscous or naan.
Tell me, who doesn’t love the ease of throwing a bunch of ingredients for a whole meal into the oven, and sitting down to eat half an hour later? I’ve been adding at least one veggie-packed sheet pan recipes to my list of simple, never boring, chicken thigh recipes. They’re perfect for those “too tired to cook” nights.
The best part about this method is letting the oven to do the work, ideally while you pour a glass of wine and relax for a few minutes. And, since most of the work for a good sheet pan meal is prep, cleanup is minimal.
Chicken dinner on a sheet pan
This tasty recipe is inspired by the flavors of a classic Moroccan chicken tagine, only it’s made much simpler by cooking on a single sheet pan.
Essentially, a true tagine is a type of stew slow-cooked in a clay pot. It’s a homestyle North African dish based on meat, seafood and/or vegetables, with complex flavors that come from a combination of bold herbs, spices and citrus.
Key ingredient notes
- Chicken thighs: They’re tasty, cook quickly and stay juicy after roasting. Since chicken is a neutral canvas, it pairs really well with sweet, tangy flavors. If you prefer, use boneless, skinless chicken breasts instead. Choose breasts that are about 6 ounces each and bake as directed.
- Dates: Soft dried dates add a touch of natural sweetness to balance the flavors. I like plump Medjool dates. They work like magic in place of sugar or honey.
- Carrots: I tested this recipe with carrots because they’re like an old friend, always in the fridge. However, sweet potatoes would be great to use instead. Peel and chop them into bite-size chunks so they become tender at the same time the chicken is cooked through.
Serve this with: This couscous salad or with warm slices of naan flatbread on the side.
Moroccan-Spiced Chicken with Carrots
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (1 kg) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 pound (450 g) peeled carrots, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
- 1 navel orange, or 1 lemon, cut into 2-inch wedges
- 3 green onions, white and green parts sliced 1/2-inch thick
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 pitted Medjool dates, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 2-inch knob ginger, peeled and grated
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ – 1 teaspoon crushed red chili flakes
- ½ cup (8 g) fresh cilantro, mint or parsley leaves
- Green sauce, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 (225 C) degrees.
- Arrange the chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet.
- Add the red onion, carrots, orange or lemon wedges, green onions, garlic, dates and ginger to the chicken. Pour over the olive oil and sprinkle everything with the cumin, coriander, salt, and chili.
- Toss well with your hands so that all the ingredients are evenly coated with the oil and spices (go ahead and use tongs if you don’t want to touch the raw chicken). Space the chicken and vegetables so they are in a flat, even layer.
- Roast 22-25 minutes. The orange should be charred in spots, the carrots tender and the chicken nicely golden brown and cooked through.
- Squeeze the orange wedges with tongs, or press on them with the back of a spoon to release their juices. Sprinkle the cilantro over and serve.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- For a quick pan sauce, pour a 1/4 cup water or broth into the hot pan and scrape up any browned bits.
- Fresh orange: Sliced orange wedges are key in this recipe because as they soften and char in the oven, the fruit releases plenty of sweet, tangy juice while the chicken cooks. You can substitute with lemon.
- To save time, you can peel and chop the carrots, slice the red and green onions and measure out the spices a few hours ahead. Keep the vegetables covered in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.
- Or, get everything for the recipe prepped and combine with the chicken and seasonings in a heavy-duty storage bag. Let it marinate while you’re at work or out of the house.
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
I’m a food obsessed super-taster and professionally trained cook ALL about creating elevated dinners with everyday ingredients. Find simplified recipes made from scratch and enjoy incredibly tasty food! Read more about me here.
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I followed the recipe almost to the letter but I was worried about such a high temperature, so I reduced it to 425F and baked for 30 minutes. It came out perfect and the flavors were absolutely delicious. Next time, I might increase the amount of spices a bit as we like BOLD flavors! I served with couscous, grilled zucchini and some greens tossed in olive oil.
Our family does mealshare every Sunday. We each make a meal for 16 and divide between 4 families. I made this meal and it was a huge hit with all families. I had to double the bake time. That was the only change I made. Sooo delicious!
Thanks for letting us know – it’s great to hear the recipe was enjoyed by so many families!
I made a few tweaks based on what I had available. I omitted the dates and added yellow potatoes. Used ground cumin instead of seeds. Doubled the recipe. This is the second time I’ve made this meal. Delicious!
This was so good, it took my husband down to one knee. Bravo! & thank you!
Whoa!! That is amazing. Thanks for letting me know 🙂
This was a winner!! Toddler and husband approved, although my toddler did struggle a bit with the red chili kick (we adults loved it, though). I’ve never cooked with dates before, but it adds just the perfect amount of sweetness, especially to the carrots!! Yum!
I served it with some quinoa, and it was perfect. Thank you!
Made this tonight. I had to use ground cumin instead of seeds but it was excellent!! Thank you!!
Made this for dinner tonight and iT Was StinkiN’ AMAZING!!! So easy and relaxing to prep for with a little music going and a glass of wine nearby. We will be making this again for ourselves and for others when we can finally gather with friends and family.
Fantastic!! I hope we all can gather around the table again very soon.
This was fantastic and a huge hit with the hubby! I added about 2/3 cup chicken broth to the sheetpan in the oven for the last 10 minutes, then crushed the oranges as in the recipe—great jus for couscous. We really enjoyed this—thank you!