Chicken Couscous One Pot

Irmgard's Note:

This delicious Moroccan-inspired recipe is easy enough for a weeknight meal but elegant enough for company.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 10 mins
• Prep Time: 10 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 8 chicken thighs
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 tablespoon garam masala
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 onions , thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves , sliced
• 500 ml chicken stock
• ½ cup green olives
• 1 lemon
• 250 g couscous
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley , chopped

Directions:

1. Toss the chicken thighs in half the spices and a pinch of salt until completely coated.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan with a lid.
3. Fry the chicken, skin side down, for 10 minutes until golden brown, then turn over and cook for 2 more minutes before removing from the pan.
4. Pour the rest of the oil into the pan, then fry the onions and garlic for 8 minutes until golden.
5. Stir in the rest of the spices, then cook for 1 minute longer.
6. Pour over the chicken stock and scatter the olives.
7. Bring everything to a boil, turn down the heat, then sit the chicken, skin side up, in the stock.
8. Cover the pan with a lid, then simmer gently for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is tender.
9. Lift the chicken onto a plate and keep warm.
10. Take the pan off the heat.
11. Stir in the juice of the lemon and couscous into the saucy onions in the pan. Top up with boiling water, if necessary, to cover the couscous.
12. Place the lid back on the pan, then leave to stand for 5 minutes until the couscous is cooked through.
13. Fluff through half of the parsley and lemon zest, then sit the chicken on top.
14. Scatter the remaining parsley and lemon zest on top before serving.

Reviews

[Clinky]

I'm not a fan of onions, so pretty much left that part out. I found it to be quite spicy, but not overly so. I'm a 'picky-eater' but still really enjoyed this dish!

[I'mPat]

WOW packs a punch without knocking your out full of flavour and just fantastic. Made omitting the olives (we don't like) and I forgot the parsley but I did add some batons of carrot after cooking the onion initially for 2 minutes and in the last 5 minutes added some broccoli flowerettes, my 8 chickens thighs weighed just over a kilo (2.2 lb) after removing excess fat. I didn't add extra oil in step 4 as I felt the fat rendered from the chicken was enough and followed through. The rest came together beautifully and the DM who has declared I don't eat curry or spicy gobbled up the lot and had seconds on the couscous, I thank you Irmagard for a great recipe, made for New Kid On The Block.