Description
A flavorful one-pot meal featuring golden, crispy skin-on chicken thighs nestled on a bed of tender giant couscous and vibrant cavolo nero, infused with garlic and brightened by a zesty lemon-parsley dressing. This dish combines simple ingredients and straightforward cooking techniques to create a hearty and satisfying dinner perfect for any night of the week.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Base
- 4 large skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 200g cavolo nero, stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, grated
- 250g giant couscous
Dressing
- Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Season and brown the chicken: Season the chicken thighs well with salt and pepper. Place them skin-side down in a wide, approximately 30cm ovenproof frying pan over medium-low heat. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the skin is golden and crispy, then transfer the thighs to a plate to rest.
- Prepare vegetables: Increase the heat slightly and add the thinly sliced onion and finely chopped cavolo nero stalks to the pan. Season and cook for 8-10 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Add garlic and cavolo nero leaves: Stir in the grated garlic and roughly chopped cavolo nero leaves. Cook for an additional 3-4 minutes to wilt the greens and release the garlic aroma.
- Incorporate giant couscous: Stir the giant couscous into the vegetable mixture, ensuring it is well coated and combined.
- Add water and simmer: Pour in 675ml of cold water, stir thoroughly, season again with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Nestle the chicken thighs back on top, skin-side up.
- Bake in the oven: Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan, gas mark 6). Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the couscous has absorbed the liquid.
- Prepare dressing: While the chicken bakes, combine the finely chopped parsley with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Rest and serve: Remove the pan from the oven and let the chicken stand for 5 minutes. Drizzle the lemon-parsley dressing over the dish before serving.
Notes
- Ensure the ovenproof pan you use is suitable for stovetop and oven cooking to avoid damage.
- Bone-in chicken thighs provide moist, flavorful meat, but you can substitute with boneless thighs if preferred; adjust cooking times accordingly.
- Giant couscous can sometimes be found labeled as pearl couscous or Israeli couscous.
- For a spicier version, add a pinch of chili flakes when cooking the garlic and greens.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: one-pot chicken thighs, garlicky chicken, giant couscous recipe, cavolo nero chicken, Mediterranean chicken dish, easy chicken dinner
