Adventures in the Kitchen # 4: Moroccan Chicken Couscous

So I am currently obsessed with the following spices: cinnamon, cumin, coriander and turmeric.....and will basically cook anything that uses those spices....they give such a yummy, rich, flavourful taste in your mouth.....and this recipe meets all my expectations. I ended up substituting Quinoa for the couscous just because I wanted the extra protein (cooked the Quinoa in a separate pot, which allowed for the extra juices from the chicken and veggies to be used as a sauce for the Quinoa....YUM!).  Easy to prepare, and so beyond delicious! Enjoy!

Moroccan Chicken Couscous

Serves: 4 -6
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 36 minutes

A bowlful of flavour!

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 Cup sliced almonds
3/4 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1/2" pieces
1/2 Teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 Bunch green onions, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
1 Zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced
2 Carrots, cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced
1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 Teaspoon ground cumin
1 Teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 Teaspoon turmeric
1 1/4 Cups low sodium chicken broth
1 Large tomato, chopped
1/2 Can chickpeas, drained
1/2 lemon, zest peeled into 1/2 inch thick strips, juice to taste
1/3 Cup raisins
3/4 Cup whole wheat coucous

Directions
1. Warm oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add almonds, toast until golden (2 min). Using slotted spoon, transfer them to a bowl.
2. Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, add to pot and cook until browned (10 min). Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken to a plate. Add the green onions, zucchini, carrots and cook for 6 min. Mix the cinnamon, cumin, coriander and turmeric, saute 1 min.
3. Add the chicken stock, tomato, chickpeas, lemon zest and raisins, bring to a simmer. Return chicken to pot, cover and simmer for 10 min. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chicken and vegetables to a serving bowl. Season with lemon juice, cover and keep warm.
4. Add the couscous to the liquid remaining in the pot, cover and turn off heat. Let rest 5 min, fluff couscous with a fork. Serve chicken and vegetables over couscous, garnished with almonds, extra raisins and shredded coconut.

Taken from Fitness Magazine, October 2011.

My hubbie enjoyed this one....our plates were so clean I considered putting them back in the cupboard without washing! :) As for the kiddos, Lily gobbled it up after loading on some more raisins and coconut and Kaitlyn took a bit more convincing. How food "looks" is a big deal for her....if something looks weird, she says she doesn't like it, but once she tried a bit or two....she mustered enough courage to finish half of her portion. So the final conclusion for our family is that I would definitely make this again.....4 out of 5 people gobbled it up (Grandma was with us for dinner too) which is a winner in my books!

Adventures in the Kitchen: Week 1

Meal Variety has always been a struggle for me. I have a fairly decent repertoire of meals that we circulate through but I am a bit bored with them. I've been making them now for almost 8 years.  So, I've decided to embark on a recipe finding adventure......my goal is to try (and post) at least one new recipe a week.....goals being healthy, fairly easy (using ingredients commonly found in any kitchen), and enjoyed by my food critics (my family!). I'll make sure to include honest and helpful reviews. Hope this helps you moms out there who are just as tired as me with Meatloaf Monday, Taco Tuesday.... :) 

Adventures in the Kitchen Recipe # 1

No-Fuss Moroccan Chicken

Prep Time: 15 min    Serves: 4    

Ingredients

1.5 lbs. of chicken halves (I used chic. breasts...I am a wimp when it comes to bones!)

2 T of oil (I used coconut oil)

1/2 Cup chopped onion

1 Garlic clove (I am a garlic junkie so I used 4 cloves, freshly pressed)

2 Cups Salsa (using mild, medium or hot salsa will determine how hot this dish will be)

1/2 Cup Water

Silly me, forgot to take a picture....so this one will have to do!
 Similar image minus the slivered almonds.

1/4 Currants (I substituted raisins...tasted great)

2 Tablespoons honey

1 1/2 Teaspoons Cumin

1 Teaspoon Cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 F. Brown chicken in oil and place in baking dish.

Lightly saute onions and garlic. Spoon over chicken.

Combine salsa, water, currants, honey, cumin and cinnamon in a bowl.

Pour over chicken. 

Cover and bake for 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through.

Serve with Rice or Couscous.

Rice is always a hit with my family, as is chicken. The girls ate a small helping as I unwisely used a medium heat salsa...a little too hot for tiny tongues. As for the adults, we agreed it was spicy but enjoyed the sweet surprise of the raisins and the flavor of this dish. I would make this dish again, but use mild salsa instead.