North African Spicy Chicken Couscous Food

NORTH AFRICAN CHICKEN AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan, and gradually stir in couscous and raisins.
• Remove from heat.
• Cover; let stand 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
• Combine orange juice and next 6 ingredients (orange juice through black pepper); stir well with a whisk.
• Combine the couscous mixture, juice mixture, chicken, and remaining ingredients in a large bowl, and toss well.
• Garnish with green onions, if desired.

NORTH AFRICAN CHICKEN AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a large sauce pan, add olive oil and saute onions until caramelized on low heat for about 8-10 minutes stirring frequently.
• Add cumin and sugar and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes stirring on low. (Do not let sugar burn).
• Cut chicken pieces into bite sized pieces.
• Add stock, chickpeas, raisins, saffron, cinnamon, chicken and bring to a light boil, then cover, reduce to simmer and cook for 30 minutes stirring frequently.
• Meanwhile, pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees F. Line a jelly roll pan with baking parchment paper, toast the almonds with the clarified butter drizzled over them for about 10-15 minutes in a 350 degree F oven and set aside.
• Stir couscous into boiling water, remove from heat and cover tightly, let stand for 8 minutes.
• Uncover and fluff with a fork.
• Serve with couscous on bottom, then chicken mixture and top with toasted almonds.
• Enjoy!

NORTH AFRICAN SPICED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Add the chicken to a large bowl then drizzle with avocado oil and all the spices. Using a pair of tongs turn and mix the chicken pieces and spices together until they are evenly distributed over the chicken.
• Sear the chicken about a minute or to per side on a large frying pan heated to medium high heat.
• Bake in the oven at 350ºF for 15 minutes, or until the internal temperautre reaches 165ºF.

TRADITIONAL NORTH AFRICAN COUSCOUS (THE REAL WAY!)

Steps:

• Finely chop the onion and mince the garlic & place it in a large heavy bottomed pan with the meat or chicken, ras el hanout & a little olive oil. Fry gently to seal the meat/chicken. I use my pressure cooker pr large cast iron casserole for this.
• Chop the carrot, parsnip and courgette into 6ths. Cut the potato into 1/4's and roughly chop the swede. Chop khourchef or celery into roughly same size as carrot. (Peel the carrots, potato, parsnip and swede).
• Add the vegetables to the meat along with 1L of water and turn up heat so they begin simmering. If using the chilli add it now, along with salt and pepper. If cooking in a regular pan then cook for 40 minutes like this. If using the pressure cooker as I do then 20 minutes will be enough.
• Add the tomatoes, chick peas and dried mint and 1/2L more water or enough to create a 'stew' consistency.
• Return to heat and cook in pan for further 30 minutes and if using pressure cooker then cook on med to high for a further 25 minutes.
• Take a 500g pack of medium couscous and pour into a gas'a if you have one. If not find the biggest bowl you have. Pick out any 'bits' and sprinkle water - about 50mls and a tsp of salt over the couscous and using your hand rub 1/2 tsp of oil through the couscous to stop it sticking. Fill a couscousier or steamer half full with the couscous (as it swells).
• When you 1st notice steam coming from the couscous, count 10 minutes. After that remove from the steamer, place in gas'a and use your hands to 'open' the couscous (rub it together between hands to remove clumps). This is very hot and you need to keep wetting you hand with cold water and sprinkling a little on the couscous.
• Return to steamer when thoroughly opened. Repeat process of steaming and opening twice more.
• Finally remove from steamer and place back in gas'a. Open for final time and rub a tbsp of ghee or smen into the couscous along with 2tsp of butter or margarine. Add salt to taste.
• Serve the couscous in the gas'a with sauce on top as traditional style or in tagine etc. Usually we place the meat/chicken in place - 1 for each guest and decorate the couscous with the veg before ladling some of the sauce over the top.
• If you used the chilli, put it on a plate and let people help themselves to it!

GRILLED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH NORTH AFRICAN SPICE PASTE

Steps:

• Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking with medium-hot charcoal.
• Coarsely grind chiles, spice seeds, garlic, and peppercorns in grinder or with mortar and pestle, then stir together with salt and oil in a bowl to form a spice paste. Rub paste all over chicken.
• Oil grill rack, then grill chicken, skin sides down first, over coals, turning over occasionally and moving around if flare-ups occur, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes total.
• Move chicken to area with no coals underneath, arranging chicken so that thicker sides are closest to coals, then cover with inverted roasting pan and grill, turning chicken over once, until just cooked through, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer to a platter and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

SPICY CHICKEN COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Prepare couscous with chicken stock, according to the packet instructions. Heat olive oil in a pan and cook the onion for 2-3 mins until softened.
• Toss in chicken breast fillets and stir fry for 5-6 mins until tender. Add the blanched almonds and, when golden, stir in the hot curry paste and cook for 1 min more.
• Add the couscous along with the apricots and the coriander. Toss until hot then serve with plain yogurt if you like.

NORTH AFRICAN SPICED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to medium-high.
• Combine all the spices in a small bowl. Brush both sides of fish fillets or chicken breasts with oil. Rub 1 side of the chicken breasts with the rub and grill, rub side down, until golden brown and a crust has formed, about 4 minutes. Flip over and continue cooking for 3 to 5 minutes.