slow-cooker Moroccan chicken

We did a lot when we lived in Europe, but just by sheer time and money constraints we still left a lot undone. One of the top places I wanted to visit but never did was Morocco. I'd heard so many good things about it. There was even a direct (cheap) RyanAir flight from the Tours airport to Marrakesh, but somehow we never managed.

Enter me, more than a year later, throwing some spices on top of chicken in a Crock Pot to try to approximate what I missed via travel. While the ambiance of a suburban kitchen in Greer, South Carolina, is absolutely nowhere near the exotic beauty of such a different culture, at least we had a really good dinner (+ leftovers) one night.
 
Don't let the super-long list of spices put you off. If you don't have some of this, you can leave out an ingredient or two, or do a quick Google search to see what you could substitute. If you like cooking with spices (0 calories, infinite flavor), go to a Middle Eastern or Asian grocer, of which we have several here in Greenville, because you can buy them in bulk and they're way cheaper than the little bottles in most grocery stores.
 
After cooking for several hours on a bed of onions, the chicken is fall-apart tender and the onions are caramelized and amazing. My favorite part, though, was the olives. I love olives, and after they've soaked up the spices and the lemon juice and everything else, they just pop in your mouth.

The best part? It's an easy Crock Pot chicken meal! Throw it in, put it on low, and come home to an amazing dinner. All you need is a quick veggie side dish - we made garlic-butter green beans with toasted pine nuts (omfg) - and you're set. If your family eats gluten, you can also serve this over couscous.

Maybe one day I'll finally make it to Morocco. Until then, enjoy the chicken.
 
xoxo,
E

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Crock-Pot Moroccan chicken

ingredients:
2 lbs. boneless skineless chicken thighs (we just used a few breasts)
salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander (we just used cumin seeds)
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 red onion, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced (we used 5, I think)
1 cup pitted green olives
1 cup shredded carrots (add 1 hour before cooking is finished)
1/2 fresh lemon, sliced

directions:
Salt the chicken.
Whisk all spices together.
Layer onions, chicken, spices, garlic, olives, raisins (if using), and lemon slices in a slow cooker (in that order)
Cook on high for 2 - 2.5 hours or on low for 4-5 hours.

nutrition:
no sugar
no gluten
no dairy

Recipe adapted from Simply Recipes.