This Casablanca chicken is one of my favorite dishes from a local family-owned Mediterranean restaurant in Minnesota. Ansari’s Mediterranean Restaurant is small, cozy and offers delicious dishes from all over the Mediterranean. This chicken dish is specially made for garlic lovers like myself. It is packed with flavor and very simple to make. Now, I am not sure what cut of the chicken Ansari’s chooses for this dish. But, I will be using chicken thighs.
Of course, you can use chicken breasts if you like. But, I am using chicken thighs because it packs a lot of flavor. I’ve always been a fan of chicken thighs over breasts. Because thighs are the “darker meat” compared to breasts, so, they are less expensive. However, they are more tender and packed with rich flavor.
Now, I know this dish looks fancy, but I promise it comes together in under 30 minutes. The key is the delicious rub we are going to use for the chicken. It’s all about developing that rich garlic flavor. I will be using one of my favorite seasoning blends from Primal Palate. Their Amoré seasoning blend is packed with rich Italian flavors (yes I know, not Mediterranean flavors at all). But, it contains a rich blend of garlic and dried herbs that are essential for this dish. So, if you haven’t heard of Primal Palate’s spices, honey you need to put your order in immediately!
CASABLANCA CHICKEN W/ CAULIFLOWER RICE
PALEO II WHOLE30
At Ansari’s the Casablanca is usually served with turmeric rice. But, because I want to keep this Whole30 and Paleo, I decided to serve it over cauliflower rice. Because this dish is so packed with flavor, we are going to keep things simple when it comes to the rice. You want the rice to be a blank canvas for the rich flavors of the chicken. So, all we are using to cook up the riced cauliflower is ghee, scallions and salt and pepper. Let’s jump in.
Another great way to serve this Casablanca Chicken is over Sweet Potato Noodles.
Let’s get cooking
Let’s get cooking
Casablanca Chicken
Chicken thighs sautéed with garlic, herbs and spices and served with cauliflower rice.
Chicken thighs sautéed with garlic, herbs and spices and served with cauliflower rice.
Prep Time:5 mins
Cook Time:25 mins
Total Time:30 mins
Yields:4 Serves
1X
2X
3X
Ingredients
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1
lb boneless & skinless free-range chicken thighs
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1
tsp. Primal Palateâs Amore seasoning* (or your favorite Italian seasoning)
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2
garlic cloves (finely minced)
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1/4
tsp. turmeric
-
1/4
tsp. smoked paprika
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2
tbsp. freshly chopped parsley
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1/2
tsp. sea salt
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1/4
tsp. crack black pepper
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2
tbsp. ghee
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1
onion (sliced)
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1
red jalapeño (diced)
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1/4
cup organic chicken broth
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FOR CAULIFLOWER RICE:
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1
tbsp. Avocado oil
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2
12- ounce packages of frozen riced cauliflower
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2
scallions (finely chopped)
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salt and pepper
Instructions
- To begin, pat chicken thighs dry and cut them into cubes. Transfer the chicken to a mixing bowl and add the Amore/Italian seasoning, garlic, turmeric, paprika, parsley, sea salt, and black pepper. Toss the chicken to make sure it’s well coated.
- Now, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a deep skillet over high heat. Add the chicken and lower the heat to medium-high. Sear the chicken while continuously stirring for about 5-7 minutes or until the chicken starts to develop some color. Now, add the onions and jalapeño pepper, stir and sauté until the onions are tender, about 5-7 minutes. Then add the chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Lower the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Then taste and season with more salt if necessary.
- In a separate non-stick skillet, heat the avocado oil over high heat and add the riced cauliflower. Sauté the cauliflower, continuously stirring, for 5-7 minutes until the cauliflower is tender. Then, stir in scallions and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve Chicken family style with the cauliflower rice.
Notes
If you do not have Italian seasoning or something close to it, you can substitute with this mixture along with the other spices.
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
- 1/8 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/8 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
If I could give this recipe more than 5 stars I would! So so flavorful and easy. And just the right amount of kick with the jalapeños. Will be making again for sure!
It is always a hit! Thank you for sharing Alexa! I am so happy you enjoyed it.
This was very good and rather simple to make! I used 1.5 lb chicken and didn’t adjust the seasonings. I also diced the onion by accident instead of sliced, ha! And it was still fantastic.
Im so glad you enjoyed it Kara. It is perfection.
This recipe is so delicious! I made it for my back to school dinner for my kids and they loved it!
Love being kid approved! Thank you for sharing Kendra!
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! A whole new level of flavor for already flavorful chicken thighs, this will be on repeat for sure! Served it over cauliflower rice (using this recipe) and with roasted broccoli
Thank you Alden!!! This makes me so happy. Glad to be in your dinner rotation.
I’ve made this several times and so good each time!
Thank you Lupita! So glad you enjoyed it
I used dried parsley, generic italian seasoning, regular unsalted butter, and a yellow bell pepper instead of a red jalapeno because that’s what I was able to get from Aldi/my pantry. I made up for the heat I lost from omitting the jalapeno by adding dried Cayenne pepper and some extra paprika/turmeric. I think the bell pepper added a lot of extra liquid to the pan, so I didn’t end up using chicken broth to deglaze. I want to try this recipe again when I have access to red jalapenos and fresh herbs, but it was delicious as I made it! Husband approved.
Also, I’ve never enjoyed cauliflower rice, but i followed her instructions and I think I’m converted! Healthy and easy and delicious!
I’m so glad girl! Those cauliflower rice tips are a game changer lol
I subbed red bell pepper for the jalapeño, and served it by over rice. My 8 year old devoured it. So good! This is a keeper, thank you
YAY!! I’m so happy you guys enjoyed it Summer!
Thanks for sharing! We are HUGE Ansari’s fans and have never tried this dish. It was a big hit last night! Requested to make it again – and again. I added mushrooms to the jalapenos after reviewing the menu online. Also served over Saffron Rice to make it nice and yellow like in the restaurant.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Elisabeth! I love Ansaris too! Adding mushrooms is a great idea!
This is always a win in my home. Even my picky three year old asks for seconds.
Thank you so much for sharing Charmaine!! I am so glad it’s a repeat in your kitchen. We always love the kid approval.
This was a great recipe. My kids loved it. I did add Dill to my cauliflower rice to give it a more Persian feel and it was very successful.
Thank you so much for the love Julie! That sounds delicious adding dill to the cauliflower rice! I love it! So glad your family enjoyed it!