Couscous With Mushrooms Spinach And Chicken Food

MOROCCAN-INSPIRED CHICKEN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
• Make the seasoning rub. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, garlic, and spices. Whisk to combine.
• Pat the chicken dry and season with kosher salt and black pepper on both side. Pour about 3/4 of the rub you just made all over the chicken (reserve the rest for later) and toss to make sure all the pieces are well coated. Set aside for now.
• Put the vegetables and onions in a mixing bowl. Season with kosher salt and black pepper and pour the remaining seasoning rub. Toss to combine.
• Transfer the chicken and vegetables to a large baking pan or rimmed sheet pan.
• Bake in the center of the heated-oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked and the juices run clear. The vegetables should also soften and gain some char.
• While the chicken and veggies are baking, prepare the couscous. Boil the water or both until bubbling. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan. Add the couscous and cook, tossing regularly, until the couscous is toasted to golden brown. Season with kosher salt and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Add the boiled water. Immediately turn the heat off and cover the saucepan. Leave the couscous undisturbed for 10 minutes, the couscous should absorb all the liquid. When ready, add the fresh parsley and fluff the couscous with a fork.
• When the chicken is fully cooked through, remove it from the oven. Spoon the couscous between the chicken pieces and allow it about 5 minutes to sop up some of the pan juices. Finish with the raisins, if you like.

CHICKEN AND MUSHROOMS WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the mushrooms, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, cumin, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste on a rimmed baking sheet. Rub the chicken breasts with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken skin-side up among the mushrooms. Roast until the chicken skin is crisp and golden and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, cook the couscous with the chopped apricots as the package directs. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the chicken to plates. Toss the mushrooms with the lemon juice, cilantro or dill, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve the chicken with the mushrooms, couscous and yogurt.

MUSHROOM COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Cook 8 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms in butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add 1 teaspoon each chopped garlic and thyme; stir 1 minute, then remove to a plate. Add 1 1/4 cups chicken broth, 2 tablespoons butter and a pinch of salt to the skillet. Bring to a boil, then pour over 1 cup couscous in a bowl. Cover and set aside 5 minutes. Stir in some chopped parsley and the mushrooms.

CHICKEN & COUSCOUS ONE-POT

Steps:

• Toss the chicken thighs in half the spices and a pinch of salt until completely coated. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large sauté pan with a lid. Fry chicken, skin-side down, for 10 mins until golden brown, turn over, then cook for 2 mins before removing from the pan. Pour the rest of the oil into the pan, then fry the onions and garlic for 8 mins until golden. Stir in the rest of the spices, then cook for 1 min longer. Pour over the chicken stock and scatter in the olives. Bring everything to the boil, turn down the heat, then sit the chicken, skinside up, in the stock.
• Cover the pan with a lid, then simmer gently for 35-40 mins until the chicken is tender. Put the kettle on, then lift the chicken onto a plate and keep warm. Take the pan off the heat. Stir the lemon juice and couscous into the saucy onions in the pan and top up with enough boiling water just to cover the couscous if you need to. Place the lid back on the pan, then leave to stand for 5 mins until the couscous is cooked through. Fluff through half the parsley and the lemon zest, then sit the chicken on top. Scatter with the rest of the parsley and zest before serving.

TOMATO BALSAMIC CHICKEN WITH SPINACH AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Wash spinach leaves a few minutes ahead of time and allow to dry in a salad-spinner or colander.
• Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook about 4 minutes per side, or until cooked through and juices run clear. Remove the chicken and set aside. To the same pan, add the spinach and cook just until wilted, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the pan and set aside. Lower the heat to medium and add the balsamic vinegar and chicken broth to the pan and stir, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer and cook 3 to 5 minutes.
• Place the couscous in a serving bowl. Top with the spinach, chicken and balsamic-tomato sauce.
• *A few pointers:.
• I use either thin-sliced chicken or pound the chicken so it's about a 1/2 inch thick. It cooks much more evenly that way. This recipe is also tasty with a dash or two of dried basil and rosemary and a few turns of fresh ground black pepper added to the vinegar/tomato mixture. The prep time of this recipe includes washing the spinach, cooking the couscous and pounding the chicken.

SKILLET CHICKEN AND PEARL COUSCOUS WITH MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the chicken thighs, lime juice, olive oil, garlic and cumin. Season well with salt and pepper and stir together until the chicken is well coated in the marinade; set aside at room temperature for 25 to 30 minutes.
• In a deep, 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven with a lid, heat the grapeseed or canola oil over medium-high. When it shimmers, lift the chicken out of the marinade, allowing any excess liquid to drip back into the bowl, then add the chicken to the skillet, skin-side down. Working in batches, if necessary, to avoid crowding the pan, cook until the chicken is well browned on both sides, about 6 minutes per side. Remove and set aside on a plate.
• Reduce heat to medium, add the leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping up any brown bits that have formed on the bottom of the pan. Stir in the harissa paste, turmeric and cinnamon, and cook until lightly toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season well with salt.
• Add the couscous to the pan and stir until well coated in the spiced leek oil. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and add the chicken back to the pan, skin-side up, along with any accumulated juices. Cover and simmer until the couscous is al dente and the chicken is cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. If you're lucky, some of the couscous may slightly stick to the bottom of the pan, creating well-seasoned crispy bites.
• Remove from the heat and remove the lid. Scatter with the herbs, if using, and the lime zest, then serve from the pan.