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Moroccan Grilled Chicken with Herby Lemon Olive Vinaigrette! This quick marinated Moroccan grilled chicken takes chicken from boring and flavorless to exciting and beyond delicious. Served with a lemon and olive vinaigrette for a fresh pop of flavor and color and all made in just about 30 minutes. It doesn’t get easier or more delicious than this grilled chicken.
Hey, hi and welcome to the first official post of Super Simple Summer Thursdays!
After everyone’s response to last Thursday’s post, I decided to make super simple Thursday a thing for the summer! I think we can all agree that summer recipes should be quick, simple, and easy so that we can spend a little less time inside and so much more time outside. Summer is short, so we need to enjoy all of the warmth, sunshine, and long nights that we can.
So. Super Simple Summer Thursdays!
Here’s how super simple Thursdays will work. The recipes will use minimal ingredients, pantry staple ingredients, easy cooking methods, and well, just be all around SIMPLE. Sound good? OK. Cool.
If you guys have any requests or suggestions for super simple recipes, please let me know in the comments or shoot me an email!
OKAY. That’s the intro, on to today’s recipe.
Moroccan grilled chicken with an extra lemony olive vinaigrette. To simply put it? This chicken is addictingly good and fun too! Because um, hello? Everything on a stick is just that much more fun to eat. I don’t know why, but it’s true.
There’s simply nothing not to love about this easy grilled chicken. It’s seasoned with Moroccan spices and herbs, is tender, and so flavorful. I did a quick marinade (because I can never remember to marinate overnight), adding in Greek yogurt to help tenderize the chicken in a short amount of time. Using Greek yogurt is my secret ingredient for keeping chicken tender without having to let it sit in a marinade for hours and hours. Works like a charm.
While the chicken grills up, I made a quick vinaigrette, using pantry staples, to drizzle over the chicken. This provides yet another layer of flavor. The lemon vinaigrette is essential to this recipe…but then again you guys know how much I love a good sauce or salsa. They’re my favorite.
The vinaigrette provides freshness and color, just trust me, you need it.
Finish it off with some goat cheese or feta and DONE.
You see? Super simple!
It’s dinner in thirty minutes, it’s healthy, and it’s GOOD! I recommend serving the chicken with some quinoa or couscous (which takes just five minutes to make) and maybe grill up some veggies too. OR try adding the chicken to a salad full of your favorite greens, you’ve already got the vinaigrette all figured out.
Also? I can’t even believe this, but I’m already thinking about the 4th of July. Normally I’m not organized enough to be prepping 4th of July recipes this early into June, but with a big trip ahead of me in a couple of weeks (heading to the Caribbean for vacation and then NYC for work), I’ve had to force myself to get organized and think a little further in advance than usual. Enter this chicken. Perfect for an easy Thursday night dinner, but equally great for any and all summer cookouts, including the 4th of July!
I’ve already made this multiple times over the last two weeks. It’s becoming a bit of a staple on nights when I’m just not up for cooking a huge meal or I am running behind. It’s great because as long as you have a stocked spice cabinet, lemons, and chicken, you can make this dinner without even having to run to the grocery store.
If you make this Moroccan grilled chicken, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. Oh, and of course, if you do make this, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Moroccan Grilled Chicken with Herby Lemon Olive Vinaigrette
Servings: 6 servings
Calories Per Serving: 479 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size chunks
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
- kosher salt
Herby Lemon Olive Vinaigrette
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice + 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/2 cup pitted green olives, torn
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt
- 1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese or feta cheese
Instructions
- 1. In a gallon size zip top bag, combine the chicken, olive oil, yogurt, paprika, cilantro, cumin, garlic, ginger, and a large pinch of salt. Marinate for 15 minutes or up to overnight in the fridge. 2. Set your grill, grill pan or skillet to medium-high heat. Take skewers and thread the chicken pieces on.4. Brush the chicken on the skewers lightly with olive oil. Grill the skewers until lightly charred and cooked through, turning them occasionally throughout cooking, about 10 to 12 minutes total.5. To make the vinaigrette, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, cilantro, olives, crushed red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Stir in the cheese. 6. Serve the skewers drizzled with vinaigrette. Enjoy!
YES. PLEASE.
Hi Tiegen, I made these amazing skewers for dinner last evening!! And OMG! They were incredible – the marinade for the chicken is what makes this dish so perfectly succulent and yum! I used Chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts as previously I’ve noticed chicken breast tends to get a bit dry.
I cant wait to try more!! XX
Thank you so much! I am so glad you loved this recipe and hope you love others!
Made this last night, very delicious! Definitely a keeper. Will try again real soon.
Thank you Annemarie!
I don’t have olives, can I leave them out in the vinaigrette?
Hi Seema, yes the olive can be left out of the vinaigrette. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks!
I made this last night and it was delicious! The chicken was so moist and flavorful. I kept the breasts whole and switched the olives and cheese for what I had – Castelvetrano (my favorite) and gorgonzola. Put it on a bed of mixed greens with tons of veggies and it was was fabulous. Have to have again to see if I prefer this or the chicken shawarma the best, lol. Thanks for another delicious recipe.
Thank you Rose! I am so glad you loved this recipe!!
I LOVE that Super Simple Thursday is a thing now!!! This is definitely something I need in my life right now. I will DEFINITLEY be making this recipe. Thanks so much!
I made this yesterday and it was super easy and delicious. One question, is there a step# 3 in directions?
The flavor was unbelievable. This was such a delicious dish that I’m planning to make it again this week!
Thank you so much Annie!!
Loved this Moroccan Chicken with Lemon olive vinaigrette.
Thank you Tina!
So am making this tonight! Can’t thank you enough for getting my cooking juice so flowing again. Was in a rut after 30 years of makinag dinner…….. just love your style and your realistic and lovely view on food.
I also manage an independent bookstore in Laguna Beach and you and order a few of your cookbooks to sell from our wholsaler.
Thank you so much Lisa! Thank you!
Oh, yum! I’m making it this weekend!
I got my cookbook but can’t read it until Sunday night; this is my birthday present to me!
Now I have to up my pantry and include things I don’t have as staples. I’ve been buying a lotta lemons and am going to add them to my shrimp jambalaya, which I’ll make with the usual onion, green pep, celery but will add asparagus, and other vegetables rather than chicken and sausage.
I hope you absolutely love this Nan! Thank you so much!
Wow these look amazing! I can’t wait to try the recipe. Thanks for sharing <3
Thank you so much Ella!
I’m loving this. The flavors are all so wonderful (I love a lemon vinaigrette) and the recipe is so simple! This is perfect for a quick weeknight meal, or even to bring for lunch during the week. Love it!
Thank you so much Danielle!
These skewers are beautiful and are perfect for grilling this weekend!
Thank you so much Brittany!
Wow Tieghan your Moroccan Grilled Chicken looks and sounds absolutely delicious! Perfect summer grilling recipe! And fabulous photos as usual! 🙂
Thank you so much Alia! I am so glad you like this!
oh i’m so hungry now
Thank you Ruth!