Spiced Chicken Bowls with Nectarine Sauce
These flavor-packed Moroccan Chicken Bowls include chicken dusted with warming spices, a fresh and sweet nectarine sauce, lightly browned zucchini, and tangy olives.
5 star review
“This was a huge hit with my whole family! I added brown rice to the bottom of the bowls. Yummy!”
– Becca
This Moroccan Chicken is Giving Restaurant Vibes with Minimal Effort
The recipe for this spiced chicken bowl came to me on a night when we were running low on food. Not wanting to make a trip to the grocery store I scoured the fridge, freezer, and pantry for inspiration. I found some chicken breasts in the freezer and nectarines in the pantry. From the fridge, I was able to grab some green olives and the combination of these three ingredients brought to mind Moroccan chicken tagine.
I wanted to create a quick-cooking dish inspired by a traditional tagine, without the long cook time. And I wanted to put the fresh nectarines I had on hand to good use, so I swapped those in for dried apricots. The chicken in these bowls is coated with an easy Moroccan-inspired blend, adding the flavors of a tagine without much effort. The other parts of the bowl cook quickly in the same pan and then everything is assembled in one bowl. And just like my fresh peach and basil chicken bowls, it tastes great atop quinoa, couscous, or brown rice. Or go paleo-style and skip the grains altogether. You can’t go wrong!
Tips for a Crowd-Pleasing Weeknight Chicken Dinner
- Kid-Friendly: The spice blend for the chicken is very kid-friendly (my 3 year-old ate all her spiced chicken and even asked for more), but if you think your child won’t go for it, cook up some plain chicken seasoned simply with salt.
- Sauce on the Side: The nectarine sauce is also pretty kid-friendly, but you can hold aside some raw sliced nectarines to serve in place of the sauce if necessary. Or sometimes I serve the sauce on the side for a little dipping action.
- Veg Swap: If you’re not a fan of cooked zucchini, I’ve swapped in other veggies like potatoes and bell peppers, and it always turns out delicious.
Spiced Chicken Bowls with Nectarine Sauce
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Nectarine Sauce
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 4 nectarines, diced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (from about half a lemon)
- 1 teaspoon honey (optional)
For the Bowls
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 large zucchini (or 2 small zucchinis), sliced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup green olives, chopped
- 4 tablespoons roasted, salted almonds
- ¼ cup lightly packed mint, chopped
Equipment
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: In a small bowl, combine the cumin, paprika, garlic powder, cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the chicken pieces, tossing well to coat.
- Cook the Chicken: In a large Dutch oven or pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the chicken in one layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan (you may need to sauté the chicken in 2 batches). Sauté for 4-5 minutes on the first side, or until golden brown. Flip the chicken and sauté an additional 4-5 minutes or until both sides are browned and crisp. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.
- Make the Sauce: Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the pan along with the nectarines, lemon juice, and honey (if using). Sauté over medium-low heat, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan until the nectarines are just softened, about 4 minutes. Remove the nectarine mixture from the pan and set aside.
- Cook the Zucchini: Wipe the pan clean, then add 1 teaspoon olive oil and the zucchini. Sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt, then sauté over medium-high heat, flipping once, until browned and cooked through on both sides, about 8 minutes.
- Assemble the Bowls: Assemble the final dish by arranging the cooked chicken, zucchini, green olives, and nectarine sauce in bowls. Sprinkle with chopped almonds and mint. Serve warm.
This was a huge hit with my whole family! I added brown rice to the bottom of the bowls. Yummy!
Mmmmm, brown rice sounds like a great addition. So happy your family liked it!
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to make it!
I hope you enjoy Sabrina!
No good! Just FYI, the recipe says apricots where it should say nectarines in the Instructions section.