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)

overhead view of moroccan cod and chickpea skillet.

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!

overhead view of ingredients needed to make moroccan cod and chickpea skillet.

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

six image collage showing steps for making a moroccan cod and chickpea skillet dinner.

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.

closeup of moroccan cod with stewed chickpeas and tomatoes in a skillet.

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!

overhead view of moroccan cod with stewed chickpeas and tomatoes in a white bowl with a black and gold fork in it.

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating in the comments!

Moroccan Cod Skillet with Stewed Tomatoes and Chickpeas

Author: Kaleigh
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: main dish
Method: stovetop
Cuisine: Morrocan

Ingredients

Scale

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 tsp 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 tsp 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