This recipe for Moroccan chicken and rice with aubergine cooks itself. Say hello to a perfect one-pot easy weeknight supper recipe. This is a deliciously aromatic dish where all the flavours come together in the oven.

The spices are fairly mild and earthy and complement the aubergine and chicken so well. If you want it hotter, add 6 teaspoons vs 4 of the harissa pasta and even a sprinkle of dried chilli flakes.

An easy one-pot Moroccan chicken & rice with aubergine recipe

The briney green olives add a lovely salinity to offset the sweetness of the sultanas. This is one pot of winter comfort food at its best and one I will make again and again. You can use raisins instead of sultanas or a combination of both.

Pomegranate for Moroccan chicken & rice with aubergine

A scattering of fresh pomegranate seeds adds a delicious pop of flavour that bursts in your mouth. They also make this dish look beautifully bejewelled.

Chopped pistachios add another finishing touch and are so delicious. Both the raisins and the pistachios come from the Northern Cape and the fruit is grown and produced along the banks of the Orange River.

Raisins of South Africa

Werconboerdery – Senqu River pistachios

A few of my other easy chicken recipes:

Chicken & rice pilaf with orange and spices

Creamy chicken and mushrooms

Creamy chicken with braised leeks and carrots

Roast chicken and Italian sausage with herbs and orange

Coq au Chardonnay

Creamy chicken with red pepper & spinach

Chicken Marbella

Prep Time:10

Cook Time:45

Ingredients

225 g 1 cup basmati rice
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion chopped
1 aubergine cut into bite size cubes
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ginger powder
4 – 6 tsp harissa paste
Zest & juice of a lemon
½ cup raisin or sultanas or a combination of both
¾ cup green olives
600 ml chicken stock
8 chicken thighs bone in skin on
2 Tbsp olive oil
Salt & pepper
A small handful of roughly chopped pistachios to serve or sliced almonds, optional
80 ml 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds to serve (optional).

Instructions

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/400F.
Soak the rice for about 15 minutes then rinse under colder water until it runs clear.
While the rice is soaking, heat the olive oil in a heavy-based lidded casserole (30cm works well here) and fry the onion until it starts to brown about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and spices and cook for about a minute until fragrant.
Add the aubergine, rice, lemon zest & juice, raisins, green olives, and stock and stir until incorporated. Scrape the bottom of the pan to get any sticky bits off. Place the chicken pieces skin side up on the rice. Brush with the olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Cook uncovered for 40 – 45 minutes and until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Cook a little longer if you are unsure. Scatter the pistachios and pomegranate seeds over to serve.