Djaj M'Hammar (Moroccan Roasted Spiced Chicken)
Cumin, paprika, and cinnamon perfume thighs braised with onions and tomato.
Ingredients
- 800 g Chicken thighs
- 2 Onion
- 4 cloves Garlic
- 400 g Canned tomatoes
- 2 tsp Ground cumin
- 1 tsp Smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp Ginger
- 1 Lemon
- 2 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 1 Cinnamon stick (optional)
- 1 tbsp Honey (optional)
Method
- Season chicken with salt, pepper, half the cumin and paprika. Slice the onions; mince garlic and ginger.
- Brown chicken in oil over medium-high, 4 minutes a side. Set aside.
- Soften the onions in the chicken fat with the cinnamon stick, 6 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, and remaining spices for 1 minute.
- Pour in tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon. Tuck the chicken back in, cover, and braise on low for 25 minutes.
- Uncover, drizzle honey, and finish with another squeeze of lemon. Remove cinnamon stick.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Djaj M'Hammar (Moroccan Roasted Spiced Chicken)
Djaj m'hammar is a Moroccan roasted or braised spiced chicken, a home-style dish that layers the warm spices at the heart of Moroccan cooking — cumin, paprika, and cinnamon — over chicken thighs cooked down with onions and tomato. What makes it distinctive is how the spices are used in stages rather than dumped in at once: some season the chicken before it browns, more toast with the garlic and ginger midway, so each addition builds a different note into the sauce. The cinnamon stick infusing the softening onions is what gives the whole braise its signature warm, faintly sweet perfume.
The dish eats rich and tender, the thighs braised until they nearly fall from the bone in a thick, spiced onion-tomato sauce that's brightened at the end with lemon and rounded with a drizzle of honey. That final sweet-and-sour finish is characteristically Moroccan, keeping the deep spices from turning heavy. It's a satisfying main built for sharing, traditionally served with bread or couscous to soak up the sauce, or rice if you prefer. Browning the chicken first and softening the onions in that rendered fat is what gives the sauce its body — don't skip either step for the sake of speed.
Djaj M'Hammar (Moroccan Roasted Spiced Chicken): frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Djaj M'Hammar (Moroccan Roasted Spiced Chicken)?
A serving has about 588 calories — 36.1g protein, 17.6g carbs, 41.4g fat, 4.3g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 36.1g of protein, roughly 25% of its calories.
Is Djaj M'Hammar (Moroccan Roasted Spiced Chicken) gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Djaj M'Hammar (Moroccan Roasted Spiced Chicken) has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Djaj M'Hammar (Moroccan Roasted Spiced Chicken) take to make?
About 50 minutes start to finish, but only around 21 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Djaj M'Hammar (Moroccan Roasted Spiced Chicken)?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out cinnamon stick, honey — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Djaj M'Hammar (Moroccan Roasted Spiced Chicken) make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.