One Pan Moroccan Chicken with Tzatziki

A one pan meal is proof that making a healthy, homemade dinner doesn’t have to be hard – and, when it comes to one pan meals, this may just be my best one yet. Introducing my One Pan Moroccan Chicken with Tzatziki, a tender, flavorful dish that’s made from perfectly-seasoned chicken thighs, warm winter veggies, and is topped with a creamy tzatziki and chopped pistachios. It’s an homage to my Middle Eastern roots and is even better than takeout.

Friends, with the holiday season right around the corner, I think it goes without saying that we’re all going to be spending a lot of time in the kitchen. When you’re cooking elaborate meals to feed a family (aka Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner), the last thing that you want is to spend even MORE time in the kitchen cooking basic meals. Which is why, during this time of the year, I tend to rely on simple and easy one pan meals in order to ensure that I’m feeding my family a nutritious meal while spending minimal time in the kitchen. If you’re in the same boat as me, then you’re in luck, because I’m back with another one pan meal that is full of winter flavors and is absolutely delicious!

This One Pan Moroccan Chicken with Tzatziki is so simple and easy, and comes together in less than an hour. It’s made from tender chicken, delicata squash, perfectly-cooked carrots, and flavorful red onion for a meal that truly covers all of your nutritional bases. Plus, it’s topped with a creamy homemade tzatziki, which not only adds in healthy fats that keep you feeling full, but also even more protein. I love how simple and easy this dish is. Simply add everything to a big baking dish, pop it in the oven, and you’re good to go!

What You Need to Make This Hearty Chicken & Veggie Dish

• 🍗 Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are perfect for this dish! I recommend cutting them in half, so that this dish is easier to eat. You can also ask your butcher to do this for you!
• 🫒 Olive Oil: Olive oil is full of healthy fats and is perfect for coating both the veggies and the chicken thighs. Don’t skip this!
• 🧄 Garlic: I always recommend using fresh garlic cloves, whenever possible, and this recipe is no exception!
• Seasonings: To season the chicken, you’ll need a combination of cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and sea salt. Yum!
• Delicata Squash: Squash is full of fiber and is in-season this time of year, making it the perfect veggie to add to this one pan meal! I like to get delicata squash from Trader Joe’s, because it’s pre-cut and easy to toss into this recipe.
• 🥕Carrots: Carrots are full of Vitamin A and Beta Carotene, making them a true superfood addition to this recipe.
• 🧅 Red Onion: The red onion adds a delicious flavor to this dish. Don’t skip it!
• Labneh or Greek Yogurt: The base of the tzatziki comes together with either labneh (aka a thick, Middle Eastern Yogurt) or greek yogurt. See my notes below!
• 🥒 Persian Cucumber: A key element of tzatziki is the cucumber, and for this recipe, I recommend using grated Persian cucumbers.
• Fresh Herbs: A combination of fresh dill and fresh mint adds the best flavor to the tzatziki. Don’t skip it!
• 🍋 Lemon: The juice of one lemon helps to cut through the thickness of the labneh (or Greek Yogurt), making it the perfect addition to the tzatziki!

“Nicole, should I use labneh or greek yogurt?”

In order to make the creamy tzatziki, I recommend using labneh, aka a thick, creamy, Middle Eastern yogurt. While you can find labneh at any Middle Eastern grocery store, or a health food store like Whole Foods, I also recognize that it can be a little more difficult to find. So, if you can’t find labneh, then you can easily substitute plain greek yogurt instead!

While the flavor between both is relatively similar, the main difference between them is the consistency. Greek yogurt tends to be a little runnier and creamier, while labneh is thicker and more spreadable, similar to cream cheese. If you opt to use greek yogurt over the labneh, just be sure to let the chicken cool slightly before adding it on top. Otherwise, the tzatziki might melt on top of the hot chicken.

How to Make This Simple One-Pan Meal

To make this One Pan Moroccan Chicken, start by preheating your oven to 400 F. Next, prepare the chicken. Cut the chicken thighs in half and add them to a baking dish.

Add in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, along with the garlic, cinnamon, cumin, ground ginger, ground turmeric, and sea salt, and toss to fully combine. Wash and chop the delicata squash, carrots, and red onion and add them to the baking dish alongside the chicken. Drizzle the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil on top of the veggies and chicken.

Next, transfer the baking dish into the oven and allow it to bake for 40 minutes. While the chicken is in the oven, prepare the labneh tzatziki. Grate the Persian cucumber and add it to a large bowl alongside the labneh or greek yogurt, dill, mint, garlic, and lemon. Then, mix well until the tzatziki is smooth and creamy.

Once the chicken is done, remove it from the oven. Add a few dollops of the labneh tzatziki to the top of the chicken and garnish with chopped salted pistachios, if desired. Serve immediately and enjoy!

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim