Middle Eastern Chicken Pot And Butter-nut Couscous

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (chopped into bite-sized pieces)
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup shredded carrot
• 1 fresh bay leaf (i used dried)
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 cup chopped dried fruits (i used dates and apricots)
• 1 lemon, juice and zest of
• 3/4 cup pitted mixed olive, chopped
• 4 cups chicken stock, divided
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons pine nuts
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1 1/2 cups couscous
• chopped fresh parsley

Recipe

• 1 heat oil over medium-high heat and add chicken. brown 3-4 minutes on each side. drain leaving a small amount of oil in pan.
• 2 add onions, garlic, carrots, bay leaf and season with spices, salt and pepper to pan. cook 5-6 minutes.
• 3 stir in fruits, add lemon zest, olives and 2 1/2 c stock.
• 4 reduce heat to low and simmer 10 minutes. sprinkle with lemon juice and turn off heat. remove bay leaf.
• 5 while chicken simmers, melt butter in sauce pan over medium heat.
• 6 add nuts and lightly toast for a few minutes.
• 7 add 1 1/2 c stock and bring up to a boil then stir in couscous. stir and cover. let stand 5 minute.
• 8 serve chicken over couscous and garnish with parsley.
• 9 this rocks!