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Cyril Lignac's Authentic Moroccan Chicken (Mhamer): A Flavor-Packed Recipe with Expert Marinade

Moroccan-style chicken, known as chicken mhamer, is a cherished specialty from Morocco, the land of the far sunset. This dish features chicken marinated in a masterful blend of spices, slow-cooked in a pot, then browned in the oven. It's served with caramelized onions, green olives, and preserved lemons—pair it with crispy fries for the full experience. As a true family favorite, it's comforting, flavorful, and best enjoyed piping hot.

Chef Cyril Lignac's Expert Tips for Perfect Moroccan-Style Chicken

Mastering Moroccan chicken takes practice, as Chef Cyril Lignac shared on RTL: "Moroccan cuisine is the cuisine of mothers, so there are 1001 ways to do it." His key to success? The chicken marinade. Cyril blends garlic, pepper, salt, fresh ginger, turmeric, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice, preserved lemon pulp, and olive oil, enhanced with ras el-hanout—a fragrant, mildly spicy, and sweet spice mix ideal for tagines and couscous. He brushes this over free-range chicken and refrigerates overnight to infuse deep flavors.

Cyril Lignac's Moroccan Chicken Recipe

For 4-6 servings, you'll need:

  • 1 free-range chicken, 1.5 kg
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 1 piece of fresh ginger
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric
  • 1 bunch of cilantro
  • 1 bunch of parsley
  • 1 lemon
  • Preserved lemons
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon ras el-hanout (spice mix)
  • 2 onions
  • 1 bag of green olives
  • Poultry livers (optional)
  • Pepper
  • Salt

Step-by-step preparation:

  1. Mix garlic, pepper, salt, grated ginger, turmeric, chopped cilantro and parsley, lemon juice, preserved lemon pulp, and olive oil for the marinade.
  2. Stir in ras el-hanout.
  3. Brush the chicken inside and out; refrigerate overnight.
  4. Next day, simmer chicken in a pot for 1 hour.
  5. Brown in the oven at 180°C, adding onions to caramelize.
  6. Serve with green olives and preserved lemons.
  7. Add poultry livers to the sauce if desired.
  8. Pair with fries. Enjoy!

Also read:

Clafoutis with pears from Cyril Lignac: an ultra gourmet vegan recipe that will amaze all your guests!

Moussaka by Cyril Lignac: an easy-to-make and extremely tasty recipe

Fig tart by Cyril Lignac: a simple, tasty and crispy recipe

Cyril Lignac's chicken curry: a tasty and very simple recipe ("The chicken is super tender and fragrant!")