Moroccan Baked Chicken and Couscous

Here is a yummy recipe from the folks at the MediterrAsian blog, which showcases healthy foods from the Mediterranean and Far East.

It’s not difficult, but there are a lot of ingredients, so I have a few suggestions:

• Read the recipe through a few times before you start.
• Mix up the spices for the chicken rub and the couscous at the same time, because both parts of the recipe use pretty much the same spices and that way you’ll have to take them out only once.
• Prepare the chicken first, and  while it’s resting and then baking you can prepare the couscous. Combine the ingredients and boil the stock while the chicken is baking, and when it comes out of the oven to rest for 5 minutes, put the couscous salad together.

You may notice from the photo that there’s no red onion or red pepper in the dish. That’s because I didn’t have either one on hand, so I used regular yellow onion and yellow pepper. Feel free to do likewise.

The couscous salad can be prepared separately and served with other dishes or it can be a vegetarian main dish. It would be great with grilled salmon.

The chicken makes enough for two servings, unless you use huge chicken breasts, while the couscous salad will serve at least four. Save the leftovers for another meal. You can reheat it or enjoy it cold.

Ingredients for chicken:

1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. chili powder
¼ tsp. salt (can leave off if using kosher chicken)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 skinless boneless chicken breasts

Ingredients for couscous

3 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
½ tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1 carrot, peeled and grated
½ red bell pepper, diced
¼ red onion, finely diced
1 cup canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 Tbs. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley (or 2 tsp. dried parsley)
1 cup quick-cooking couscous (not Israeli couscous)
¼ cup raisins
1¼ cups chicken or vegetable stock

Directions for Chicken:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Mix together the cumin, paprika, ginger, cinnamon, chili, salt, and garlic until well combined. Mix in the oil to create a paste. Rub this evenly over both sides each chicken breast.

Cover and set aside in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.

Place on a baking tray or in a baking dish lined with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to rest for 5 minutes, then cut into slices to serve.

Directions for couscous:

In a jar with a lid combine the olive oil, lemon juice and spices and shake until well blended.

Combine the carrot, bell pepper, onion, chickpeas and parsley and set aside.

In a heatproof serving bowl, combine the couscous and raisins.

Boil the chicken or vegetable stock and pour it over the couscous; stir, and cover with plastic, foil or a plate so it can steam. Leave for 5 minutes.

Fluff the couscous  and add the vegetables. Pour the dressing over all and mix well.

Chicken serves 2

Couscous serves 4