Is this a traditional Moroccan recipe? I have no idea! I couldn't find any information on its origins. But I do know that it's delicious! This was my first time converting a recipe from slow cooker to pressure cooker, and I think it came out really well!
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This Dish is an Explosion of Flavor!
You know what gets my attention when I look at a recipe? A list of ten or more ingredients! Especially when most of them are seasonings—onion and garlic, salt and pepper, and of course lots of herbs and spices!
Casablanca Chicken fits the bill. It has a lot of the flavors you'll find in North African and the Middle East, and a lot of vegetables. You can serve it over rice, noodles, or cous cous—but we don't think that's necessary. This is a very filling dish, and we really don't need the extra carbs. But some naan or pita would also be a nice accompaniment.
Ingredients You'll Need
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- ginger
- cumin
- turmeric
- salt
- black pepper
- Aleppo pepper flake
- cinnamon
- cayenne pepper
- chicken
- carrots
- potatoes
- zucchini
- garbanzo beans
- tomatoes
- water
- parsley
- lime wedges
Make It Your Own
There are a lot of ways to change this recipe to make it your "signature dish".
- Add more cayenne or red pepper flakes to heat it up more.
- Leave the peppers out if you want a milder dish.
- Add something sweet: golden raisins, currants, or dried apricots (whole or chopped).
- Use different vegetables: cauliflower, fava beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, and split peas would all work well. (You may need to experiment to find the best timing so the lentils or peas are cooked and the vegetables aren't overcooked.)
Let's Go, You Can Handle the Pressure!
Here are the ingredients: potatoes, chicken, carrots, onion, zucchini, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, spices (cumin, turmeric, salt, black pepper, Aleppo pepper flakes, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper), and garbanzo beans.
You might notice that those aren't diced potatoes. When I went shopping there were no large potatoes! So I got a package of fingerling potatoes. Food shopping is turning into a treasure hunt these days. I also couldn't find frozen chopped spinach and frozen chicken thighs, which we prefer. I had to use breasts, which also work well.
Add some oil to the pressure cooker and set it to Sauté/High. When the oil is hot enough (drop a few pieces of onion into the pot and wait until they start to sizzle), pour in the onion and stir until they turn translucent.
Add the garlic, ginger, and spices and stir for a minute. You just want to let them bloom and release their flavor.
Add the chicken and stir to coat it with the spice mix. Let it cook, stirring occasionally, until it's browned on all sides.
Add the rest of the ingredients...
And mix everything up!
Set the cooker to Pressure for 10 minutes. Sit back and wait for the "Done!" chime! My Ninja Foodi took about 12 minutes to come up to pressure; your mileage may vary.
When it's done cooking, do a quick release. This will take more time, my Ninja took about 6 minutes. The food will continue cooking during this time. I found that 12 minutes to pressurize, 10 minutes to cook, and six minutes to release gave me well cooked chicken and vegetables that were cooked through but not mushy. Perfect!
Open the pot carefully, give it a stir, and serve it up!
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📖 Recipe Card
Pressure Cooker Chicken Casablanca - Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot
Special Equipment Needed
- 1 Pressure cooker Ninja Foodi, Instant Pot, or other brand
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes or other red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 3 pounds chicken breasts or thighs boneless and skinless, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 3 large carrots sliced ½" thick
- 2 large potatoes peeled and diced
- 1 medium zucchini sliced 1" thick
- 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans drained
- 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
- ¾ cup water
- Lime wedges to serve
Instructions
- Set the pressure cooker to Sauté/High. Add two tablespoons of oil. When it's heated, add the onions and sauté until they turn translucent.1 large onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, salt, black pepper, Aleppo pepper, cinnamon, and cayenne and stir for 1 minute.2 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, ½ teaspoon cumin, ½ teaspoon turmeric, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Add the chicken and sauté until it's coated with the spice mix and browned on all sides.3 pounds chicken breasts or thighs
- Add the carrots, potatoes, zucchini, garbanzo beans, and tomatoes, and water. Stir to combine all the ingredients.3 large carrots, 2 large potatoes, 1 medium zucchini, 1 (15-ounce) can garbanzo beans, 1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes, ¾ cup water
- Set the pot to Pressure for 10 minutes. (My Ninja Foodi took about 12 minutes to come to pressure.)
- When the cooking is complete do a quick release. (My Ninja took about 6 minutes to release the pressure.)
- Serve over noodles, rice, or couscous. Squeezing a lime wedge over the dish will really brighten up the flavor!Lime wedges
Nutrition Estimate
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