Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, grated or chopped
1 cup shredded carrots
1 fresh bay leaf
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
Pinch ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup chopped dried fruits - pick 1 or combine: figs, pitted dates, apricots, sultanas
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3/4 cup pitted mixed olives, chopped
4 cups chicken stock, divided
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup slivered or sliced almonds
1 1/2 cups couscous
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat the extra-virgin
olive oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil ripples add the chicken
and brown 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Add the onions, garlic, carrots, bay leaf and
season with spices, salt and pepper, cook 5 to 6 minutes. Stir the fruits into the chicken
and vegetables, add the zest of the lemon, olives and 2 1/2 cups of stock. Reduce heat to
low and simmer 10 minutes more. Sprinkle with lemon juice and turn off heat. Remove bay
leaf.

While chicken simmers, melt butter in a sauce pot over medium heat. Add nuts and lightly
toast for a couple of minutes. Add 1 1/2 cups stock and bring up to a boil then stir in
couscous. Cover and let stand 5 minutes.

Serve chicken over couscous, or vice versa, and garnish with parsley.