Middle Eastern Chicken Pot and Butter-Nut Couscous

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Show: 30 Minute MealsEpisode: Chicken Goes Abroad

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (63)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(63)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
4 servings

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 40 min

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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.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Middle Eastern Chicken Pot and Butter-Nut Couscous
Dina Sheldon, SC 04-13-2009
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A can't miss dish, BUT
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

A can't miss dish. Made it several times and always perfect. BUT, make sure all your ingredients are mis en place before... you start. Otherwise things happen too fast. Read more
recipe Middle Eastern Chicken Pot and Butter-Nut Couscous
allison escondido, CA 02-04-2009
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Very Good
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

My husband and I really liked this meal. I made the recipe exactly as written. I used kalamata olives and dried apricots... but I did forget the lemon juice at the end. It was very good. I would double the spices next time (i would of doubled it this time but I only had 1 tsp of cumin left in the house. Definitely a keeper.Read more
recipe Middle Eastern Chicken Pot and Butter-Nut Couscous
sara seattle, WA 12-11-2008
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Sabrina...look a little closer at the title
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

There is not supposed to be butternut squash in this recipe. If you look at the title it says "butter-nut couscous" not... "butternut" it means that the nuts were toasted in butter... although I bet the addition of the squash wasn't bad...Read more
recipe Middle Eastern Chicken Pot and Butter-Nut Couscous
sabrina lic, NY 11-13-2008
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DEEEEELISH!
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I love eating, but I'm truly a lazy cook. This is seriously a great dish, fragrant, and easy to make. Title is... misleading--where is the butternut squash in the recipe directions? I decided to add it anyway, which added time to the cooking process. Still, it came out so well. Definitely a keeper! Notes: you might want to parboil the butternut squash before adding it with the vegetables.Read more
recipe Middle Eastern Chicken Pot and Butter-Nut Couscous
Kelsey Temecula, CA 11-02-2008
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Very Very YummO!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I grew up eating Middle Eastern dishes and this one brings back fond memories. It is great! I even tried adding cubed... squash to the mix and that was wonderful! Thanks Rachel!Read more
recipe Middle Eastern Chicken Pot and Butter-Nut Couscous
Liz Laurel, MD 10-01-2008
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Yummily different!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

My boyfriend and I saw this on Rachael's show and it looked sooooo good. Oh, it tasted just as good as it looked on tv!!! We... used dried mangoes--VERY nice! Definitely a different flavor combination than I have cooked with before and it was awesome that it came out SO yummy! And that couscous?? Loved it!! Even by itself, which surprised me!Read more