This One Pan Moroccan Dinner is a delicious and hearty dish that brings together tender meat, veggies, and warming spices all in one pot. It’s a fuss-free, set-and-forget recipe that’s perfect for busy nights or when you want a nourishing, comforting meal without much effort.
Health benefits
This healthy Moroccan-inspired meal has everything you need to nourish the family. Protein, especially if on the bone will introduce those bone derived nutrients I posted on here. The spices improve digestion and offer immune support. The vegetables are of course full of fibre, vitamins, minerals and protective Phyto (plant) chemicals.
Ingredients in the One Pan Moroccan Dinner
You’ll need a mix of your favourite meat (or plant-based alternatives), chickpeas, veggies like carrots, celery, and zucchini, plus spices such as cumin, cinnamon, and coriander. The addition of fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon at the end brightens the dish.
Instructions to make One Pan Moroccan Dinner
Start by sautéing onions and garlic, then brown your chosen meat. Add in the veggies, chickpeas, spices, and tomato passata, and let it slow cook in the oven for 1-3 hours, depending on the meat. Finish with fresh herbs and lemon juice for that zesty hit of flavour.
Serving suggestions and how to store
Serve this Moroccan dish with couscous, rice, or mashed potatoes. It stores well in the fridge for up to three days, and any leftovers can be frozen in an airtight container for easy future meals.
Vary this to suit your dietary needs
For a gluten-free option, pair it with rice or mashed potatoes. Make it vegetarian or vegan by swapping the meat for chickpeas and tofu. You can also omit legumes or garlic as needed, or switch up the veggies based on what you have on hand.
Ingredients
- 500 g meat of choice -approx. such a whole chicken thighs, chicken legs or diced lamb, lamb shanks or casserole chops (see below for vegetarian)
- 1 onion/s -roughly chopped
- 2 clove/s garlic -chopped
- 425 g can chickpeas -drained and rinsed (or cannellini beans)
- 2 carrot/s -peeled and roughly diced
- 2 stick/s celery -chopped
- 1 zucchini/s -diced (or grated for fussy people)
- 1 red capsicum/s -diced
- 75 g peas (½ cup) fresh or frozen
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 cinnamon quill
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 lemon/s -zest (peel off a few strips with your peeler)
- chilli flakes -to taste
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper -to taste
- 680 g tomato passata (puree)
Serve...
- ¼ bunch/s fresh parsley leaves
- 1 lemon/s -juice
Optional extras
- 1 tsp dulse flakes
Method
- Preheat your oven to 150℃/300℉ (fan-forced).
- Use either an oven proof deep pan (with a lid) or a casserole dish.
- On a stove top, begin with softening the onion and garlic in a little-refined coconut (tasteless), butter or ghee over a low heat. Push aside and slightly brown the meat of your choice. Take off the heat. Now add the rest of the ingredients.
- Mix together roughly, place on the lid and throw in the oven for 1-3 hours (depending upon the cut and size of the meat) or until the meat is tender. Chicken will cook in an hour, lamb will do better with a longer cook time.
- Finish with the fresh herbs and lime or lemon juice which adds a real freshness to the dish.
Slow Cooker
- This can certainly cooked in a slow cooker. However, as the speed and temperature varies between the many brands of slow cookers, base the amount of liquid you add and the cook time on a similar style of recipe in the guide book for your specific slow cooker. The general rule of thumb is to halve the liquid and double the cook time, but understanding your own slow cooker is the best guide.
Serve
- Serve with cous cous or one of the variations below.
Make-ahead
- Re-heat (covered) in a low oven until just hot.
Store
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Can also be frozen.
Grab Bag Formula Method
- If you've done the **Grab Bag Formula Short Course, this is the method to convert this recipe...
- Place all your prepared ingredients (except the parsley and lemon juice) into the Grab Bag.
- Carefully seal your Grab Bag. I close most of the seal then press out as much air as I can then complete the seal. Place the Grab Bag in the freezer.
- To cook, remove the Grab Bag from the freezer, place on a baking tray and thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Tip the contents of the Grab Bag into a large oven proof dish (with a tight fitting lid) or Dutch oven. It may still be a bit frozen; that’s okay.
- Place the lid on the pot, set your oven to 150°C/300°F (fan-forced) and cook for 1½-3½ hours (depending upon the cut and size of the meat) or until the meat is tender. Chicken will cook quicker than the lamb.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning and spiciness. Lastly finish with the fresh herbs and lemon juice which adds a real freshness to the dish.
- ** The Grab Bag Formula Short Course is available to purchase for just AU$46 HERE. OR If you are a full-access Well Nourished Family member, the course is included in your membership and you can access in the members portal - HERE.
Variations
Gluten free
Serve with brown rice or mashed potato.Vegetarian and vegan
Double the chickpeas or and add in 2-300g of diced organic firm tofu. Cook for 1 hour.Grain-free
Serve on mashed potato or sweet potato.Legume-free
Leave out the chickpeas.Garlic-free
Replace the garlic with a teaspoon (extra) of ground cumin and a pinch of chilli flakes.Onion-free
replace the onion with a small bulb fennel, dicedDifferent vegetables
Substitute any of the vegetables. Root vegetables work well. If using broccoli or cauliflower mix through about 10-15 minutes before the end of the cooking time (I really dislike soggy cruciferous).Time saving tip
If you are pushed for time or want to pre-prepare this meal in the morning so you can throw it in the oven later that evening, don't worry about sautéing the onion, garlic, and meat. Just throw all together, cover and refrigerate until you're ready to bake. You will just need to bake it for an extra 10-20 minutes if it's straight out of the fridge, to ensure the meat is cooked. I have even pre-cooked this the day before and just reheated it prior to eating.Money saving
I find organic chicken drumsticks or drumettes cost the same as conventional free-range thighs. I stock up on these for casseroles as the bone-derived nutrients add so much goodness to a slow cooked casserole.I welcome your feedback! Please comment, ask questions or make suggestions of your own below.
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dani buchanan says
Hi George – love the blog! Ive been researching and following a lot of the concepts you touch on over the last year or two and am thrilled to have someone I know as a contact/guru/mentor/
I know I know – have to catch up eventually – we’ll get there – just so busy.
What are dulse flakes?
Give my best to paul and the kids
Dani Buchanan
Georgia Harding says
Hi Dani, thanks for your feedback, glad to help. Dulse flakes are a highly nutritious sea vegetable. They are little flakes that I add to most casseroles, soups and sauces – just for nutrition rather than flavour. You can find out more about them and where to buy them under the Ingredients header tab. Catch up soon, G x
Katie says
Hi Georgia, I make a similar casserole with lamb necks and pumpkin. It’s delicious but there is a lot of oil on the top at the end of the cooking time (I guess because lamb necks can be quite fatty). If I’m organised I’ll make it ahead, chill it overnight it and skim the fat off before reheating, as I remember reading this in a recipe once. But I wondered is there goodness in that fat or is it better to bin it? Same question with the bone broth and the thin layer of fat you get after chilling it – should we be skimming that off?
Georgia Harding says
Thanks for sharing your version Katie. Re the fat on casseroles and bone broth. I never remove the from chicken broth/stews but I do remove a bit from lamb broth. Mainly because there is SO much and I find it too rich and overpowering. But yes there is lots of good stuff in the fat so no need to remove every last bit. Enough to make it palatable and allow all the other lovely flavours to shine. G x
Chelsea Fletcher says
Sounds yum, could you cook this in a slow cooker?
Georgia Harding says
Absolutely Chelsea G x
Kate Evans says
Hi! Do you know how long in the slow cooker for this one?
Georgia Harding says
Hi Kate, just base it on other casserole meals you’ve cooked in it. I’ve owned two slow cooker in the past 10 years and the way they cook is SO different (new one runs much hotter / faster than the old one). So I just can’t speculate sorry. It’s why I only give the oven method, because I can test it exactly. Georgia x
Tobi says
Made this for the first time last night (just used the osso bucco meat I had in the fridge) it was a hit with the kids (2 & 4)!!! Of course when they first sited it they said “Yucky”, as they often do if its new. They particularly loved the chickpeas in it. Great to be able to get a variety of veg into them so easily. So glad to find another easy, hearty meal to add to the family meal rotation (and freezer).
Georgia Harding says
Thrilled Tobi, love hearing that my recipes were loved by the whole family. Thanks for the feedback G x
Merle Karpin says
Hi Georgia,
For months I haven’t been receiving your news and recipes.
I have checked my files but nothing.
When I tried to subscribe again I couldn’t .
Regards,
Merle
I miss you and your advice
Georgia Harding says
Ah strange Merle, let me trouble shoot it! I have been away the past 4 weeks and not sent any newsletters (I’m currently on holidays in Sri Lanka and flying home tonight so my emails will recommence next Friday).
Could you do me favour and check your spam, trash, junk folders as yahoo does sometimes like to redirect some emails there. If no luck please email me [email protected] so I can cross check your email address with my newsletter list. Cheers, G x
Julie says
Hi, I’m making some yummy things for a friend who’s about to have her second bub and your food is always a hit. Does this recipe freeze well?
Julie
Georgia Harding says
I haven’t tried it but I can’t see why not Julie. G x
Jackie says
Th Moroccan chicken was a big hit with the grandchildren and will become a family favourite.. Thank you for all the yummy recipes and ideas you give so willingly.
Georgia Harding says
Fabulous Jackie, so pleased they enjoyed it. I’m so thrilled to be hearing from grand parents cooking for their grand children Well Nourished recipes. Thanks so much for commenting, Georgia x
Claire says
Made this yesterday and put everything in the slow cooker (I have a breville 6L) in the morning using 8 chicken drumsticks and the passsata and left it on low all day, cam out perfect with lovely sauce consistency, my 3 year old twins loved it too!
Georgia Harding says
Ah awesome, thanks for the method, I find slow cookers vary so much so that’s really helpful for other to know. Thanks for the 5 ? too G x