Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken Stew

It goes without saying that slow cookers are an excellent way to get a great meal together without a lot of time and effort. I’ve made all sorts of Moroccan inspired food but I had never tried using a slow cooker to cook them. This recipe combines a whole chicken, fragrant chili paste, chickpeas and spices together in one flavorful dish. If a whole chicken isn’t on hand, you can always use about 4 lbs of bone-in thighs, drumsticks, etc. I would recommend using bone-in varieties, that way you can make a flavorful stock later! I’ve found that some of my best stocks come from Indian and Moroccan spiced dishes. The slow cooker really allowed the flavors from the chili paste, preserved lemons, garlic and spices to merge together. You can make the Harissa paste a while in advance before you get started and that will help save time. If you don’t have chickpeas on hand, you can easily substitute potatoes in for them. Serve with rice and plain yogurt to cool things down. Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro.

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Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken Stew

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 10 minutes

Servings 4

Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients

• 4 lb whole chicken divided into 6 pieces
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 large preserved lemon sliced
• 3 tbsp Harissa chili paste
• 4 cloves garlic chopped
• 2 cups water
• 1 yellow onion chopped
• 30 oz chickpeas washed and drained
• 2 tbsp tomato puree
• 4 servings rice cooked as directed on package
• cilantro or parsley chopped (optional)
• yogurt for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, mix the paprika, cumin, ginger, turmeric, coriander and cinnamon together.
2. Place the onion and chickpeas in the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Place the chicken pieces in a larger mixing bowl and pour in the olive oil and sea salt/pepper, tossing to coat.
4. Pour the spice mixture over the chicken and coat the chicken pieces evenly.
5. Place the chicken pieces into the slow cooker.
6. Add the preserved lemon slices, chopped garlic and tomato puree into the slow cooker.
7. Spoon the Harissa paste over the chicken, try to get it as evenly distributed as possible.
8. Pour in the water, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
9. Serve with rice and garnish with yogurt and cilantro.

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