Fresh & Tasty Moroccan Sheet Pan Chicken
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This healthy one-pan Moroccan Sheet Pan Chicken meal is bursting with fresh flavors! Made with simple ingredients and packed with protein, this is a dinner the whole family will request again and again.
Sheet pan meals are some of my favorite to make. They are a complete dinner that comes together so quickly on busy weeknights, and they’re almost always incredibly healthy and packed with veggies. What’s not to love?
After a few weeks of heavy holiday meals, we were ready to transition into some light and fresh dinners. This sheet pan Moroccan chicken came together when I was thinking of some unique but healthy Mediterranean-inspired one-pan meals, and it’s a great recipe for those wanting to have some healthier meals along with me. My homemade Moroccan spice blend is rich and delicious, and paired with olive oil, orange and lemon juice, and green olives, it gives so much flavor to this chicken!
The best part of this recipe is the juicy, tender chicken breast covered in fresh Moroccan flavors. Make sure you follow my tips to get the juiciest chicken breast you’ve ever had!
Ingredients
To make this Moroccan sheet pan chicken dinner, you need the following:
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts – This recipe and cooking method gives you tender and juicy chicken breasts that are full of flavor.
- Citrus – A navel orange, plus a lemon and some lemon juice balances out the flavors of the marinade.
- Garlic Cloves and Ginger Root – These fresh grated aromatics level up our marinade big time! If you don’t have fresh, you can substitute dried powders (about a teaspoon of each).
- Some simple spices – My homemade spice mixture contains cumin, cinnamon, salt, black pepper, paprika, turmeric, cayenne, and chili powder.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – This adds healthy fats to our marinade.
- Veggies – Cauliflower, potatoes, and yellow onions bulk up our meal and give fiber and healthy carbohydrates to the meal.
- Green Olives – The final savory, salty touch to this meal.
Instructions
To make this juicy Moroccan sheet pan chicken, follow the steps below:
1. Trim Chicken
Trim any visible fat off of your chicken breasts. If the breasts are very large, cut them in half. Place them in a gallon-size ziploc bag or a marinating container.
2. Zest & Slice Citrus
Into a medium bowl, zest the whole lemon and half of the orange. Slice the lemon into 5-6 slices and set aside. Slice the orange in half and juice half of the orange into the bowl of zest. Then slice the other half of the orange into about 3-4 slices, and slice the lemon. Set the citrus slices aside for later.
3. Prep Marinade
Into the bowl of zest, add 1/4 cup lemon juice. Grate the garlic cloves into the bowl, followed by a piece of ginger root. Add the olive oil and the wonderful spices: cumin, cinnamon, salt, paprika, pepper, turmeric, cayenne pepper, & chili powder. Whisk to combine.
4. Marinate Chicken
Pour the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and place it in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes up to 2 hours. About 45 minutes before you want to be eating, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
5. Chop Veggies
Wash the baby potatoes and cut them into 1-in pieces for even cooking. Place into a large bowl. Wash your head of cauliflower and cut the head into florets. Add the florets to the bowl of potatoes. Finally, peel the onion and cut it into thin slices. Add the onion to the bowl.
6. Prep Sheet Pan
Cover a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Open the bag and place each chicken breast on the baking sheet, evenly spaced apart. Take a bowl of potatoes and cauliflower and dump it into the bag of the leftover chicken marinade. Squeeze and toss to coat the veggies in the leftover seasoning evenly. Pour the veggies onto the sheet pan and arrange them in a even layer around the chicken breasts. Set the orange and lemon slices on top of the vegetables. Drain your olives and give them a quick rinse. Sprinkle them evenly across the sheet pan.
7. Bake
Slip a digital meat thermometer into the thickest chicken breast piece. Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the thermometer reads 165F on the chicken.
8. Rest Chicken & Finish Veggies
When the chicken reaches 165F internal temperature, use a pair of tongs to remove each piece of chicken from the sheet pan onto a plate. Leave the sheet pan of veggies in the oven and continue cooking them until they are tender and golden brown, about 10 more minutes. The chicken breasts can rest on the plate at room temperature, allowing the juices to redistribute while the veggies finish cooking giving you juicy, tender chicken.
That’s it! Garnish with fresh herbs like parsley, or with fruit like raisins or pomegranate seeds if desired. This easy dinner recipe is sure to become your favorite sheet pan dinner.
Tips & Variations
While this recipe uses cauliflower, I have also made this with broccoli and it is great. Brussels sprouts would work great, too.
I use yellow onion, but white or red onions would also work. Use what you have on hand.
You can use boneless chicken thighs instead of breasts if you prefer.
Serving Suggestions
You can serve this meal as is, or feel free to serve it alongside a bowl of fresh fruit and a green salad tossed with my citrus balsamic vinaigrette. A loaf of 100% whole wheat sourdough would also make a fabulous accompaniment.
Want to add some beautiful color? Serve with my Turkish Red Cabbage Salad!
Looking for some other healthy dinner meals? Try my Sheet Pan Gyro Fries, Honey Garlic Salmon or my smoked chipotle-orange boneless pork roast. For more chicken recipes, check out my Chicken & Poultry Recipes section.
Nutritional Information
This recipe makes 6 hearty servings. For one serving of this recipe, the nutritional info is as follows:
- Calories: 438
- Protein: 36.5 grams
- Fat: 19 grams (2.9 grams saturated)
- Carbs: 35 grams
- Fiber: 7 grams
Recipe Notes
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. This dish reheats well in the microwave and would make an excellent healthy meal prep.
Tip for reheating chicken so it isn’t rubbery: Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces before microwaving, then heat in 30-45 second intervals until warmed until at least 165°F, but do not overheat.
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Morroccan Sheet Pan Chicken
Equipment
- 1 sheet pan half sheet with rim
- 1 Zester/Grater
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken breasts
- 1 lemon - for zesting and slicing
- 1 medium navel orange - for zesting and slicing
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 2 clove garlic
- 2 inch ginger root
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon paprika
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 1/2 pound baby potatoes
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 4 ounce pitted green olives
Instructions
- Trim any visible fat off of your chicken breasts. If the breasts are very large, cut them in half. Place them in a gallon size ziploc bag or a marinating container.2 pounds chicken breasts
- Into a medium bowl, zest the whole lemon and half of the orange. Slice the lemon into 5-6 slices and set aside. Slice the orange in half and juice half of the orange into the bowl of zest. Then slice the other half of the orange into about 3-4 slices, and slice the lemon. Set the citrus slices aside for later.1 lemon, 1 medium navel orange
- Into the bowl, add 1/4 cup lemon juice. Grate the garlic cloves into the bowl, followed by the piece of ginger root. Add the olive oil.1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 clove garlic, 2 inch ginger root, 1/4 cup olive oil
- Add all of the spices and seasonings: cumin, cinnamon, salt, paprika, pepper, turmeric, cayenne, & chili powder. Whisk to combine.1 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon paprika, 2 teaspoon black pepper, 2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Pour the marinade over the chicken. Seal the bag and place it in the fridge to marinate for at least 30 minutes up to 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Wash the baby potatoes and cut them into 1-in pieces for even cooking. Place into a large mixing bowl. Wash your head of cauliflower and cut the head into florets. Add the florets to the bowl of potatoes. Finally, peel the onion and cut it into thin slices. Add the onion to the bowl.1 1/2 pound baby potatoes, 1 head cauliflower, 1 medium yellow onion
- Cover a large rimmed sheet pan with parchment paper. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Open the bag and remove each chicken breast. Place them on the baking sheet, evenly spaced apart. Save the bag of marinade.
- Take bowl of potatoes and cauliflower and dump it into the bag of the leftover marinade. Squeeze and toss to evenly coat the veggies in the leftover seasoning. Pour the veggies onto the sheet pan and arrange them in a single layer around the chicken breasts. Layer your orange and lemon slices on top of the chicken & vegetables. Drain the olives and sprinkle them evenly across the sheet pan.4 ounce pitted green olives
- Slip a digital meat thermometer into the thickest chicken breast piece. Place the sheet pan in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the thermometer reads 165F on the chicken.
- When the chicken reaches 165F internal temperature, use a pair of tongs to remove each piece of chicken from the sheet pan onto a plate. Leave the sheet pan of veggies in the oven and continue cooking them until they are tender, about 10 more minutes. The chicken breasts can rest on the plate at room temperature, allowing the juices to redistribute while the veggies finish cooking giving you juicy, tender chicken.
Video
This is a great way to use up those chicken breasts I had stacking up in the freezer. This was so delicious, full of flavor and ultra healthy!