Description
A flavorful one-pot meal featuring golden, spiced chicken thighs simmered in a fragrant broth with olives, lemon, and aromatic spices, served over fluffy couscous mixed with fresh parsley and lemon zest.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Spices
- 8 skin on, bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 onions, finely sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
Liquids and Flavorings
- 500ml chicken stock (from a cube is fine)
- Large handful whole green olives
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Grain and Herbs
- 250g couscous
- Small bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Season the Chicken: Toss the chicken thighs in half the turmeric and garam masala along with a pinch of salt until they are completely coated with the spices.
- Brown the Chicken: Heat 1 tbsp of sunflower oil in a large sauté pan with a lid over medium heat. Place the chicken thighs skin-side down and fry for 10 minutes until the skin is golden brown. Turn the chicken over and cook for another 2 minutes, then remove from the pan and set aside.
- Sauté Onions and Garlic: Pour the remaining 1 tbsp oil into the same pan, add the sliced onions and garlic, and fry for about 8 minutes until golden and softened.
- Add Spices: Stir in the remaining turmeric and garam masala, cooking for an additional 1 minute to release the aromas.
- Create the Broth: Pour in the chicken stock and scatter in the whole green olives. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the Chicken: Return the chicken thighs, skin-side up, to the pan sitting in the stock. Cover with the lid and simmer gently for 35-40 minutes until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Prepare Couscous: While the chicken simmers, boil water separately. Once the chicken is cooked, lift it out and keep warm on a plate. Remove the pan from heat. Add the lemon juice and couscous to the saucy onions in the pan, topping up with boiling water just enough to cover the couscous if needed. Cover and leave to stand for 5 minutes until the couscous absorbs the liquid and is cooked.
- Finish and Serve: Fluff the couscous with a fork, stir through half the chopped parsley and lemon zest. Place the chicken on top of the couscous, then scatter the remaining parsley and lemon zest over the dish before serving.
Notes
- Using whole stone-in olives adds more flavor compared to pitted olives.
- For an extra punch of flavor, add one finely chopped preserved Moroccan lemon into the stock before adding the couscous.
- Make sure the chicken is cooked gently to keep it tender and juicy.
- Adjust the amount of boiling water added to the couscous so it is just covered to avoid sogginess.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Moroccan-inspired
Keywords: chicken thighs, couscous, one-pot meal, Moroccan spices, turmeric, garam masala, olives, lemon, easy dinner
