Moroccan Chicken Couscous
"This Moroccan Chicken Couscous is super flavorful and healthy loaded with exotic spices but still simple enough to make any night of the week."
Serves 8 | Prep Time - 10 mins | Cook Time - 80 minsWhy I Love This Recipe
You can also use chicken breasts with skin and bones for additional flavor. Chicken thighs or drumsticks are also fine.
I used a large Dutch Oven Braiser that is oven safe. A tagine would also work great with this recipe.
Ingredients You'll Need
3 tbsp Moroccan spice blend recipe below
4 chicken breasts, about 1 1/2 lbs, boneless and skinless
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion chopped
5 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup golden raisins
14 oz chickpeas (1 can) drained and washed
14 oz fire roasted tomatoes (1 can)
3 cups chicken broth low sodium
1 cup pearl couscous dry
4 cups kale rinsed and roughly chopped
Moroccan Spice Blend
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp allspice
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp cardamom
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
Combine all the Moroccan spice blend ingredients together. The recipe should yields about 8 to 9 tsp or about 3 tbsp.
Season the chicken breasts with 2 tbsp of the Moroccan spice blend thoroughly. Use more as preferred.
In a large Dutch Oven or a oven safe pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add the chicken breasts and sear on both sides until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. The chicken will not be cooked through at all, it will just be crispy on the outside. Transfer the chicken from the pot to a plate and set aside.
Add the onion and garlic to the pot and saute for about 3 minutes until onion softens and becomes translucent and garlic is aromatic. add the remaining 1 tbsp of the Moroccan spice blend and stir.
Add the golden raisins, chickpeas, fire roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, couscous and stir well. Gently stir in the kale. Bring to a boil, then add the chicken breasts back.
Cover the pot with a lid and place in the oven. If your pot doesn't have a lid, cover with aluminum foil. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and cook for an additional 30 minutes.
