Often, when we think of chicken meals, rice comes to mind as an accompaniment. Couscous can be used as a fluffy grain alternative to rice and, because the flavors of each are subtle, swapping them won’t throw your entire recipe off course. Both rice and couscous take on the flavors of the seasonings you add, and neither needs much to shine.
While rice is a grain and couscous are a type of pasta, you can buy whole-grain versions of both. Couscous’s flexibility has made it a favorite ingredient in kitchens worldwide. This tiny pasta can be used as a side dish, as a part of an entrée, or added to soups and salads to boost texture. Its mild flavor makes it ideal for combining with seasonings ranging from sweet to spicy, and it can be used to recreate dishes from any cuisine.
Couscous is a pale, delicate grain that North Africans have served for centuries with a meat or vegetable stew on top.
Although it is made from wheat, couscous is the North African equivalent of rice, and it could be called a second cousin of German spaetzle, although it does not contain egg and the granules are much smaller.
Steamed in a manner similar to rice, couscous takes about 10 minutes to prepare. Delicious when served hot, it is equally good at room temperature.
Today, I’m preparing a sheet pan meal with roast veggies and chicken thighs and serving them with a couscous accompaniment. Should be good!
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- 1 medium zucchini, cut in small chunks
- 1 large carrot, sliced in 1/8-inch slices
- 1 medium red onion, cut in wedges
- 4 large mushrooms, cut in wedges
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 1/4 cup Golden Italian dressing
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 1/2 tsp EACH seasoned salt, dried oregano & cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp EACH chili powder & smoked paprika
- 454 gm boneless/skinless chicken thighs
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- 2 cups water
- salt to taste
Ingredients
Vegetables
Chicken
Couscous
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- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- In a plastic bag place Italian dressing. Add carrots, onions, zucchini, mushrooms & garlic. Shake well to marinate (do them separately if you wish). Place on a foil lined baking sheet & roast until tender. Marinate cherry tomatoes in a bit of dressing & add to the pan for the last 10 minutes of baking.
- In a small dish combine all chicken seasonings. In a plastic bag, place chicken & 2 Tbsp olive oil. Shake well to cover thighs with oil then add spice mixture & shake well again.
- Line a baking sheet with foil. Add chicken thighs & roast in oven at the same time as veggies are cooking.
- In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high until just shimmering. Add the pearl couscous & toss around to toast until golden brown.
- Boil water & add it to the toasted pearl couscous. Season with salt. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Cover & cook for about 14 minutes or until couscous is tender. Remove from heat.
- On a serving plate, place the couscous & vegetables. Top with chicken thighs & drizzle juice from roast chicken over all. Serve.