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This chermoula chicken recipe yields tender, juicy meat with crispy skin and packs a punch of flavor thanks to a fresh zesty, spicy North African herb sauce. This restaurant-quality meal whips up in less than an hour and pairs well with couscous, rice, or an easy bulgur wheat pilaf.
I’ve been making different variations of chermoula chicken for the past 10 years or so.
Sometimes I pound chicken breasts flat, stuff them with chermoula, and roll them up for what is basically a Moroccan chicken roulade. Other times I marinate and grill chicken with chermoula. And I’ve also been known to eat leftover rotisserie chicken sandwiches with chermoula as a condiment. You can’t go wrong!
What is Chermoula?
If you’re wondering what is chermoula, welcome to your new favorite herby, zesty sauce.
Chermoula is a marinade, relish, or sauce used in Moroccan and other North African cuisines. It’s traditionally used on seafood, but is also delicious paired with chicken, meat, and vegetables. The bright flavors in this fresh herb sauce add a vibrant, refreshing quality and punch of flavor to whatever dish it’s used in.
This fresh herb sauce is similar to Italian pesto and Argentinian chimichurri (which you might have had at Brazilian steakhouses). However, it has earthier notes, thanks to cumin and coriander. There are different colors of this North African relish, including red, green, and yellow variations.
Common chermoula ingredients include:
- Herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, as well as mint in green chermoula
- Garlic, and I’ve also seen fresh ginger added as well
- Lemon juice, and sometimes pickled lemons
- Spices, such as cumin, coriander, paprika, and/or cayenne pepper
- Saffron in red chermoula
- Turmeric in yellow chermoula
- Harissa (a spicy hot North African red chile paste) in red chermoula
- Oil, typically extra-virgin olive oil, but I’ve also seen chermoula recipes that use vegetable oil
You can read more about chermoula sauce here!
Chermoula Chicken Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Fresh cilantro and parsley – I like to use half cilantro and half parsley, but you can use all cilantro or all parsley if you prefer. Make sure to remove the tough stems.
- Garlic – This adds a ton of flavor and aroma to this fresh herb sauce.
- Cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, coarse kosher salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper – This is the spice blend we use to create the well-balanced, earthy, slightly smoky flavor profile that chermoula sauce is known for.
- Fresh lemon juice and zest – These add fresh, bright, zesty flavor to the sauce.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – To help make the sauce into a paste-like consistency.
- Bone-in skin-on chicken thighs – Or you can use bone-in skin-on chicken breasts; you could also use boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts and reduce the cooking time.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Chermoula Sauce
- Add all ingredients to a food processor.
- Pulse a few times to chop it up a bit, and then process until it’s as smooth as you like it (TIP: don’t completely puree it, leave a bit of texture).
Step 2: Make Chermoula Chicken
- Sear. Heat a large cast-iron skillet (or other heavy-bottomed, oven-safe skillet) over medium-high heat. Once the skillet is hot, add the chicken thighs skin-side-down, and sear until the skin is brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat.
- Sauce. Flip the chicken thighs over and spread 2 tablespoons of chermoula sauce on top of each (reserve the remaining sauce for serving).
- Finish cooking in the oven. Bake at 400F until the chicken is fully cooked, about 25 to 30 minutes. (Dark meat chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 to 175F.)
Serve the chicken with the remaining sauce to spoon on top, along with bulgur wheat pilaf or couscous if desired.
Storage
You can make the chermoula sauce up to 5 days ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge.
After cooking chermoula chicken, let it cool to room temperature and then store it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
What to Serve With Chermoula Chicken
- Homemade Rice a Roni
- Roasted Duck Fat Potatoes
- Orange and Toasted Almond Saffron Rice Pilaf with Golden Raisins
- Bulgur Wheat Pilaf
- Couscous
Tips For the Best Chermoula Sauce and Chicken
- The food processor makes quick work of chermoula sauce. Just make sure that you don’t completely puree it, leave a bit of texture (similar to pesto and chimichurri sauces).
- Use a large cast-iron skillet or other heavy-bottomed skillet that can go from the stovetop to the oven. This is a one-pan meal, so cleanup is relatively easy!
- This recipe was designed to make 6 servings. There can be a lot of discrepancy in the size of chicken thighs, so look for a 2-pound pack that has 6 large-ish thighs (so each serving is 1 thigh).
Frequently Asked Questions
For the most tender, juicy chicken thighs, cook them at 400F. In this recipe, we sear the chicken over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes to get the skin nice and crispy before roasting, so our bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs only need to roast for about 25 to 30 minutes at 400F.
Dark meat chicken (such as legs and thighs) is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 to 175F. You can test this with an instant-read thermometer. Also note that when chicken is fully done, the juices should run clear, not pink or red.
No! If you want, you can make chermoula chicken entirely in the oven. If you skip searing the chicken thighs, spread the sauce on top and roast them at 400F for about 30 to 35 minutes. To crisp the skin without searing the chicken, you can broil it for a couple minutes at the end of roasting.
Absolutely! To make grilled chermoula chicken, I like to marinade chicken in chermoula paste for at least 4 hours, but up to 24 hours. After that, grill the chicken as normal, and serve with additional chermoula sauce for serving.
More Chicken Dinner Recipes to Make
- Million Dollar Ritz Chicken Casserole
- Roasted Jerk Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes
- Easy 30-Minute Chicken Noodle Casserole
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Chermoula Chicken Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
Chermoula Sauce:
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves tough stems removed (1 cup is about 1/2 a bunch)
- 1 cup fresh parsley leaves tough stems removed (1 cup is about 1/2 a bunch)
- 4 large cloves garlic peeled
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Chermoula Chicken:
- 2 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken thighs (2 pounds is about 6 to 8 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs)
- 1 batch chermoula sauce
Optional Serving Suggestions:
- Prepared bulgur pilaf or couscous
Instructions
For the Chermoula Sauce:
- Add all ingredients to a food processor. Pulse a few times to chop it up a bit, and then process until it’s as smooth as you like it (TIP: don’t completely puree it, leave a bit of texture).
For the Chermoula Chicken:
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 400F. Heat a large cast-iron skillet (or other heavy-bottomed, oven-safe skillet) over medium-high heat.
- Sear on the stovetop and add the sauce. Once the skillet is hot, add the chicken thighs skin-side-down, and sear until the skin is brown, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Flip the chicken thighs over and spread 2 tablespoons of chermoula sauce on top of each (reserve the remaining sauce for serving).
- Finish cooking in the oven. Bake until the chicken is fully cooked, about 25 to 30 minutes. (Dark meat chicken is fully cooked when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 to 175F.)
To Serve:
- Serve the chicken with the remaining sauce to spoon on top, along with bulgur wheat pilaf or couscous if desired.
Notes
- Nutrition Information: The nutritional information for this recipe was calculated without the optional bulgur pilaf or couscous for serving.
- Chermoula Sauce Yield: This recipe makes about 3/4 cup of sauce. You will need the entire batch to make 2 pounds of bone-in skin-on chicken thighs.
- Storage: You can make the chermoula sauce up to 5 days ahead and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. After cooking chermoula chicken, let it cool to room temperature and then store it covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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This post was first published on An Edible Mosaic on September 29, 2010 and updated on April 1, 2026.
I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
Free Bonus
For a while now, I had let go of buying chicken breasts and went with the more tender pieces of thighs. I shall try to make this work in my own way so that I can get to try this very uniquely twisted recipe by Faith ;o)
Beautiful presentaion pics!
Flavourful wishes,
Claudia
Thank you all for your sweet comments and birthday wishes! They really mean a lot to me. :)
A very elegant presentation. This would be great to serve company.
I love the little spin you put on the chermoula to make it your own! This looks insanely delicious Faith! I saw chermoula in one of the latest food magazines – you convinced me I need to try it.
I bet the chermoula would be great just slab on a slice of bread.
Oooh, Faith, this looks so delicious, very comforting, and I love the flavors.
I recalled I made chermoula for my lamb chops. It was really really good! Lovely bulgur too!
I have never heard the term Chermoula, so I love learning something new! I enjoy Moroccan cuisine, though, and like how you personalized the recipe with parsley/mint and fresh lemon zest. Healthy, pretty, and delicious!
Who could resist such a flavourful chicken dish?! The recipe is a keeper.
HAppy birthday fellow Libra! Love chormula, this recipe looks like something I’m going to try very soon!
Stopped in to say Happy Birthday!!! But looks like I get the present…Beautiful dish, I have just recently discovered bulgur and most definitely need some inspirational uses. I hope you have had a wonderful Birthday :)
Faith, this dish is so awesome! I like all the ingredients here.
Looks fantastic, the robust of flavors. Incredibly good.
oooh! Hello gorgeous! This is what would hit the spot tonight and I think I have everything I need. Thanks for the inspiration!
Wow, so much flavour! Sounds delicious!
Happy Birthday Faith! This dish looks very flavorful and yummy!
loving this yummy pilaf.. perfectly stuffed!!
Faith,
Happy Birthday, again. Truly a lovely dish. Your craft and delicate touch are all over this dish. The chicken is stuffed gloriously. I recently made a rolled stuffed chicken, it does not look as good as yours. I will not drone on with my inane comments. I’ll just repeat your words that describe the dish perfectly…
Everything ended up being delicious; the chicken was tender and juicy and full of bright, fresh flavors that paired beautifully with the earthy, nutty flavor of the bulgur pilaf.
Exactly!
With beautiful flavors and sauces like this, it’s no wonder that I adore Moroccan food. Gorgeous presentation! I love that the chermoula does double duty as stuffing and sauce!
What a beautiful dish. I grew up eating mostly Chinese food all my life and didn’t really explore cuisines from other cultures until I moved out on my own. This is a very refreshing dish to me from what I’m used to eating. Chermoula sounds like a wonderful sauce, thank you for teaching me what it is and made up of. Wonderful dish! Hope you have a very happy birthday, Faith!
I see by reading the comments its your birthday, Happy birthday daaaaaahling!!!!!!!!!!
I WANT this dinner! It is completely stunning and has all the flavours I adore. So so so sos yum!
*kisses* HH
Happy Birthday to you Faith. Chermoula sounds delicious. As it contains all the spices I am familiar with. Sure it taste great.
Faith! Lazaro told me it was your birthday so HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! :D
I’m loving the sound of the chermoula. I’ve ever heard of it before but that’s usually the case anyway when I read your posts. I always learn something new. :)
This dish looks incredibly decadent and I can almost taste the wonderful contrast between the sweetness of the raisins and the savoriness of… well, the rest of the dish. :P
Have a fantastic day. <3
Aren’t golden raisins so tasty? I think that was a great modification to make to this traditional dish :) You know, I’ve never really liked bulgur, but maybe I just haven’t been preparing it right? I”ll have to try your version and see if I like it any better – it sure looks good in your pictures!
By the way … HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! :D
That pilaf looks very mouthwatering and the chicken is wonderful!
This looks great! Definitely putting it on my list of dinners to make real soon!
Raisins give a very sophisticated flavor to meat. I have a couple of recipes with raisins and I will add your in them. Morocco lately is quite in fashion. I must admit they have a very flavorful kitchen. Beautiful dish.
wow, gorgeous flavours! I like having a bit of sweet stuff in savoury dishes.
I’ve never heard of chermoula! Love to learn new things, Faith. This dish really looks delicious! I don’t cook with bulgur nearly enough.
It’s almost dinner time and I am starving so I wish I didn’t see this cos it looks delish! Lucky we are also having chicken for dinner :) We will have to try this dish though, cos Soy made a batch of chermoula last weekend!
Ooh…the textures and the flavors here…you are the queen of that, Faith. I always did love bulgur!
A beautiful dish! Lovely pilaf.
Cheers,
Rosa
I love it when I learn something new. I’ve only ever had Chermoula flavours in seafood, not chicken. This looks wonderful. Combining this dish with Pilaf is a winner too. Nice one Faith :)
Now, that is a pretty dish. All that eye-popping green really makes it so enticing. A great way to dress up chicken.
Truly wonderful dish, I always like bulgur pilaf !
yumms! the chicken looks delicious! must be a lot of work to stuff those things in eh? I wannt a piece of it!
Have a wonderful day up ahead!
jen @ http://www.passion4food.ca
Fabulous as always!
Now that is one chicken dish I would love to sink my teeth into! Looks very delicious and healthy too! I shall pass on the pilaf though because I am not so into rice.
This looks healthy and delicious!
Oh Faith, I shouldn’t have looked at this so close to lunchtime! I love how you’ve stuffed the chicken to keep it flavoursome and moist! :D
You are such a gourmet cook! This looks fantastic.