This Moroccan-inspired chicken is everything we love—fresh, vibrant, comforting, and is easily prepped in advance! It starts with juicy pasture-raised chicken leg quarters (or thighs!), marinated in a delicious mix of Greek yogurt, turmeric, tomato paste, lemon juice, garlic, and just a touch of crushed red pepper for a little heat. The yogurt keeps the chicken insanely tender (shout out to lactic acid!), while the spices give it that gorgeous golden color and deep, rich flavor.

It all comes together with fluffy lemony couscous tossed with fresh mint, parsley, and chives for a fresh herbaceous flavor — and don’t skip the garlicky lemon yogurt sauce on the side. It’s creamy, tangy, and packed with protein! Perfect for a spring dinner, Sunday meal prep, or a relaxed gathering with friends. Let's get cooking!

INGREDIENTS

For the Chicken – 

• 2 to 4 Pasture Raised Chicken Leg Quarters (or chicken thighs)
• 1 cup greek yogurt (plus more for the sauce, below)
• 3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
  
• 1 Tbsp tomato paste
  
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated
• 1 lemon juiced
• Kosher salt to taste

For the Couscous –

• 1 cup dried couscous, cooked according to package directions
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Kosher salt to taste
• About 2 Tbsp each fresh mint leaves, parsley leaves, and chives, finely minced

For the Garlicky Lemon Yogurt Sauce – 

• 1 cup greek yogurt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• About 1 Tbsp mint leaves, finely minced
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely minced or grated
• Kosher salt to taste

To Serve –

• Warmed naan bread, buttered or brushed with olive oil & dusted with flaky salt
• 1 lemon cut into wedges
  
• Garlicky Lemon Yogurt Sauce (recipe above)
• Tomatoes and or cucumbers, optional

*Make Ahead: the chicken can be marinated up to one day in advance. The sauce and couscous can be prepped up to 3 days in advance. 

INSTRUCTIONS

Marinate the Chicken – Remove chicken from package and season generously on both sides with kosher salt. Set aside. 

In a large bowl, add 1 cup greek yogurt, followed by 2 tsp ground turmeric, 2 tsp red pepper flakes, 3 Tbsp olive oil, freshly ground pepper, juice of 1 lemon, and 6 minced garlic cloves. Stir well to combine. Transfer to a plastic bag or other container where the chicken legs fit into and mix to ensure the chicken is completely coated in the marinade.

Place chicken into the fridge and marinate for at least 2 hours, up to overnight. Remove from fridge about 30 minutes before you plan to start cooking (now is a great time to mix up the sauce if you haven't already).

For the Garlicky Lemon Yogurt Sauce – Mix all ingredients for sauce in a small bowl. Taste and adjust as needed, sometimes it needs another pinch of salt or another squeeze of lemon. Chill for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors come together.

Cook the Chicken – Preheat oven to 400°F. Place an oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Once skillet is hot, add a small splash of avocado oil (olive oil works too but it has a lower smoke point). Once oil is hot and shimmering, carefully add chicken leg quarters one at a time, SKIN SIDE DOWN. Sear them without moving for 5-7 minutes, adjusting heat to medium if necessary. Once the skin is golden and crispy (maybe even a little blackened around the edges – just due to the yogurt in the marinade, adds a great flavor), flip them over and transfer to preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until cooked to 175°F internal temperature between the thigh and drumstick. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes.

Make the Couscous – prepare the couscous according to package directions (be sure to cook in salted water, like you would any pasta). Once done, fluff with a fork and add olive oil, lemon juice, fresh herbs, and a touch more salt if needed.

To Serve – arrange chicken legs on a serving platter, with yogurt sauce in the center, and herbed couscous surrounding. Garnish with additional fresh herbs or lemon zest, plus a sprinkle of flaky finishing salt. Serve warmed naan on the side (buttered or brushed with olive oil and salted). Enjoy!!!

P.S. If you love our delicious pasture raised chicken – consider subscribing to the Grassroots Meat Club (ships free in TX, reduced in other states). Each Grassroots Meat Club box includes a variety of hand-selected grassfed and pasture raised meats, such as chicken breasts, chicken tenders, leg quarters, wings, thighs, drumsticks, whole chicken, ground beef, kabobs, stew meat, stir fry, cutlets, London broil (top round), beef roasts, beef ossobuco, short ribs, various sausages, pork roasts, pork chops, bacon, ground pork, fajita meat, country style ribs, spare ribs, and bacon!

Recipe adapted from What's Gaby Cooking