Eating fish doesn't have to be boring! Spice up dinner with this Moroccan cod skillet with stewed tomatoes and chickpeas for a simple, delicious and healthy weeknight meal that's ready in just over 30 minutes. (gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free)
We all know we should be eating more seafood, but sometimes it can seem so boring. If your go-to is a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt and pepper, it's time to expand your horizons when it comes to cooking fish! You won't complain about still being hungry or tasteless fish with this delicious, filling, one-skillet dinner!
Why You'll Love This Moroccan Cod Skillet Dinner
If you think eating fish is boring, think again! I've spiced up meaty, mild cod with an easy three-ingredient Moroccan seasoning similar to ras al hanout and paired it with a flavorful blend of stewed tomatoes, chickpeas, bell pepper, and onion. It all gets cooked in one skillet on the stove in 30 minutes, so it's easy enough to prepare for a quick weeknight dinner!
What Makes This Dinner Healthy?
Despite all of the nutrients in seafood (lean protein, omega-3s, vitamins, and minerals), 80 to 90% of Americans fall short on the recommended two servings of fish per week. This dinner provides you with a serving of protein-packed seafood, plus high fiber chickpeas and veggies. Canned tomatoes are high in the antioxidant lycopene, so you'll always find them in my pantry! Bell peppers offer a nice dose of vitamin C, while chickpeas are full of fiber, plant protein, and folate.
How To Make Moroccan Cod Skillet with Stewed Tomatoes and Chickpeas
- Season cod with a squeeze of lemon and Moroccan seasoning, then sear it in a skillet for a few minutes per side.
- Remove the cod to a plate, then cook the bell pepper, onion and garlic in the skillet.
- Add the tomatoes, chickpeas, broth and more Moroccan seasoning.
- Nestle the cod filets back into the skillet, cover, and cook until the fish is cooked through.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Any firm white fish can be used in this recipe, such as halibut or tilapia loins.
- If you don't have vegetable broth, substitute chicken broth.
- You can purchase ras el hanout at the grocery store (in the spice section) instead of making the spice blend.
- Canned white beans may be used in place of chickpeas.
Tips For Buying and Preparing Fish
- When buying fresh seafood, make sure it's really fresh. Fresh fish fillets should be firm and vibrant in color, not dull, milky, or mushy. It should not have an overly ‘fishy’ smell. If the fish is whole, the eyes should be clear, the scales tightly intact and the gills bright red.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. If you aren’t going to cook fresh fish within 1-2 days of buying it, store it in the freezer in vacuum-sealed bags until ready to cook.
- Fish should always be removed from the bags while thawing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or under cool running water.
- White fish like cod is done when it no longer looks translucent. The flesh will flake easily with a fork. It should be cooked to an internal temperature of about 140 to 145°F.
For more delicious ways to enjoy seafood, browse all of my Seafood Recipes!
If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating in the comments!
PrintMoroccan Cod Skillet with Stewed Tomatoes and Chickpeas
Eating fish doesn't have to be boring! Spice up dinner with this Moroccan cod skillet with stewed tomatoes and chickpeas for a simple, delicious and healthy weeknight meal that's ready in just over 30 minutes. (gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: main dish
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Morrocan
Ingredients
- 3 tsp olive oil, divided
- 1 lb Alaska cod (about 2 cod 'loins', each cut in half)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 3 tsp Moroccan seasoning, divided
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 can (14 oz) low sodium diced tomatoes, including juices
- 1 can (14 oz) low sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- ½ cup low sodium vegetable broth
Instructions
- Heat 2 teaspoon of the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Pat cod filets dry with a paper towel, then squeeze lemon over them. Season on both sides with 2 teaspoon of the Moroccan seasoning. Place filets in the skillet and cook until bottom sides are golden, about 5 minutes, flip fish and cook about 5 more minutes. Remove fish to a plate.
- Add remaining olive oil to the pan. Add bell pepper, onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, chickpeas, broth and remaining Moroccan seasoning.
- Add fish back to the pan and simmer, covered, until fish is cooked through and sauce is heated, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid if you'd like the sauce to thicken a bit before serving.
Notes
- Any firm white fish can be used in this recipe, such as halibut or tilapia loins.
- If you don't have vegetable broth, substitute chicken broth.
- You can purchase ras el hanout at the grocery store (in the spice section) instead of making the spice blend.
- Canned white beans may be used in place of chickpeas.
Keywords: Moroccan cod with chickpeas and tomatoes, moroccan spiced fish, cod chickpea tomato skillet
ETC says
We make this all the time. It’s also great if you add sliced almonds and golden raisins.
★★★★★
Sue says
Easy, tasty, not boring. We went out for a fish fry yesterday. This beat it, hands down. "Thanks!" from Wisconsin
★★★★★
juliekayandrews says
Ooohh this looks so hearty and delicious!
Kaleigh says
Thanks Julie!
taramdeal says
I love Moroccan flavors 🙂 This sounds right up my ally!