Chicken and Couscous
Lemony Chicken And Couscous with juicy chicken thighs and tender pearl couscous is made all in one skillet, and cooks in only 30 minutes!
Equipment
- 12-inch cast-iron skillet with a lid
Ingredients
- 4 (675 g) chicken thighs bone in and skin on, about 1 ½ pounds
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil not extra virgin
- 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
- 1 cup (180 g) pearl couscous
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 ½ cups (360 ml) chicken stock
- ½ lemon juiced
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C), or 170°C if using a fan oven.
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and sear for 2-3 minutes, until the skin is golden and crispy. Remove the chicken from the skillet and set aside (The chicken will not be fully cooked at this stage).
- Drain excess fat from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add the diced onion and cook until softened and translucent, about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in the couscous and toast it for 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add smoked paprika and garlic, cooking for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Pour in the chicken stock and lemon juice. Stir to combine, then nestle the chicken thighs skin-side up into the couscous mixture.
- Cover the skillet with a lid or foil and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for 15 minutes covered, then remove the lid and bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the couscous is tender and fluffy.
- Remove from the oven and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Drizzle with extra lemon juice if desired.
Notes
- Chicken Stock: You can use low-sodium chicken stock in this recipe. For flavor, I'd suggest adding ¼ teaspoon of salt to the couscous mixture. You can also add salt to taste!
- Try Boneless Chicken: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs can be used. Reduce the cooking time by 5-7 minutes. If you need to, remove the chicken from the skillet while the couscous finishes cooking.
- Toasting the Couscous in the pan for a minute or two brings a really nice flavor to the dish.
- Bake with a Lid: You'll want to have a large oven-proof skillet for this recipe with a lid that fits it well. A cast iron pan is my favorite for this method.
- Taste and Adjust. At the end of the cooking time, you may find that the couscous needs a little bit of extra salt, pepper, or lemon. You can also add a splash of water or broth to loosen up the sauce if you like.
- Storage: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 491kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 113mg | Sodium: 803mg | Potassium: 474mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 219IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg
Find it online: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/chicken-and-couscous/