One-Pan Chicken Couscous

From the kitchen of Carly

Moroccan-leaning weeknight dinner: chicken, harissa, dried apricots, and chickpeas all build flavor in one pan, then couscous goes in to soak up the broth. Twenty minutes, one pan, one bowl. Done. Cover the pan tight when the couscous goes in. Steam is what cooks it; a leaky lid leaves you with crunch.

One-Pan Chicken Couscous

Couscous is not a grain, it's a vehicle for absorbing flavor, and harissa does the heavy lifting here. Diced chicken, chickpeas, and apricots cook down into a spiced, golden base that steams the couscous from underneath. Twenty minutes, one pan, and you've got North African comfort that tastes like you know what you're doing.

Prep
5 min
Cook
15 min
Total
20 min
Servings
4
Difficulty
easy

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1 tbspolive oil
  • 1yellow onion, chopped
  • 7 oz(200 g)boneless skinless chicken breast, diced
  • 1 thumb-sized piecefresh ginger, grated
  • 2 tbspharissa paste
  • 10dried apricots, halved
  • 220 g (1 can)chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 7 oz(200 g)couscous
  • 3/4 cup(200 ml)chicken stock
  • 1 small handfulfresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high.

  2. Add the chopped onion. Cook 1 to 2 minutes until just softened.

  3. Add the diced chicken. Stir to coat in the oil. Cook 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the onions are deep golden.

  4. Grate the ginger directly into the pan. Add the harissa paste. Stir to coat everything and cook 1 minute more, until the harissa darkens and the kitchen smells like a spice market.

  5. Tip in the apricots, chickpeas, and couscous. Stir once.

  6. Pour over the chicken stock. Stir once more, then cover the pan tightly with a lid (or a sheet of foil pinched around the edges).

  7. Pull off the heat. Let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. The couscous absorbs all the stock and softens.

  8. Lift the lid. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Taste and adjust salt.

  9. Scatter cilantro over the top. Serve straight from the pan with a dollop of yogurt and extra harissa for the table.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Keep the heat on medium-high when cooking the chicken and onions, don't rush it, so they develop color and caramelization instead of steaming themselves pale.
  • Grate the ginger directly into the hot pan so the aroma blooms immediately and hits you right, instead of losing something in the transfer.
  • Cover the pan tightly with a lid or foil once you pour in the stock. The trapped steam is what cooks the couscous perfectly. Resist lifting the lid early.
  • If your harissa paste is very concentrated or spicy, start with 1.5 tbsp and taste before adding the full 2.

Variations

  • Swap the chicken for flaked white fish like cod or halibut, cutting the cooking time to 5 minutes once the pan is hot.
  • Use lamb instead of chicken, bump the ginger to two thumb-sized pieces, and add a pinch of cinnamon to the pan when you add the harissa.
  • Stir in a handful of dried cranberries or raisins in place of some of the apricots for brightness and less assertive sweetness.
  • Top with toasted sliced almonds and pomegranate seeds instead of cilantro for more texture and festive color.

Make ahead and storage

Keeps in the fridge for 3 days in an airtight container. Reheat gently with a splash of water on the stovetop or in the microwave. Freezes well for up to 3 months, though the couscous texture softens a bit on thaw.

Substitutions
  • chicken breast to boneless thighs, ground lamb, or extra chickpeas. Thighs are juicier; lamb takes it more North African; chickpea-only makes it vegetarian.
  • harissa paste to 1 tbsp tomato paste + 1 tsp smoked paprika + 1 tsp cumin. DIY harissa-adjacent. Adjust heat with cayenne to taste.
  • couscous to quinoa or bulgur wheat. Quinoa needs 15 minutes simmering, not steaming. Bulgur is the classic Levantine swap and steams the same way.

Pairs well with: A dollop of plain yogurt or labneh on top, A simple green salad with a lemon vinaigrette, Mint tea or a glass of dry rose