Chicken and Israeli Couscous

The cool days and cold nights of November make me want comfort food.  This is a recipe I found almost 2 years ago and have been making it ever since.  It is Martha Stewart's recipe with a few tweaks.   

The recipe is easy to make and the ingredients are found in your local grocery store.  You can make it organic by simply using organic ingredients.  As usual, I doubled the recipe so I use a large pot instead of the recommended large saute pan for the single recipe.  A Dutch oven would work well for doubling as well.

I consider this comfort food for a few reasons.  First, it is made in one pot.  For some reason, I consider the use of one cooking vessel to be comfort food.  The mixing of flavors into one delicious meal is comforting.  Next, it is creamy and smooth.  The chicken cooks down so that it easily comes off of the bone.  The chicken stays moist and full of flavor, and leaving hte skin on adds flavor to the mixture.  The couscous is creamy and is similar to a risotto in tecxture.  The final reason I consider it comfort food is that it makes me feel warm inside when eaten.  Overall, this is one of my favorite cold weather recipes and I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a delicious meal.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup Israeli couscous (organic if you can find it in the bulk bin)

1 1/2 pounds skin- on chicken thighs (4 to 6 thighs) (organic or naturally raised)

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced (organic)

1 14 oz. can diced organic tomatoes with Italian herbs

3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon) (organic)

4 strips lemon peel (2 inches each) (organic)

Pinch of saffron

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc (I use a Martha Clara's - it's local)

1 1/2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock (organic)

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Here's how to do it:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add couscous, and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl, and return pan to heat.

This is not organic but is a good brand when I cannot find organic

Brown the couscous for one minute

Browned and set aside

Cook chicken, smooth side down, until browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Flip, and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate, reserving drippings in skillet.

Brown chicken in pot

Chicken browned and set aside

Reduce heat to medium, add onion, and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, lemon peel, and saffron, and cook, 2 to 3 minutes.



Onions, garlic and lemon prepared and ready for the pot



Add onions to pan and cook for one minute

Cooked for one minute and ready for other ingredients



Tomaotes, garlic and lemon peel added to onions

These are the tomatoes I use

Return chicken to pan, add wine, and cook for 4 minutes.

Chicken returned, cook for 4 minutes

Add stock, salt, and couscous, and stir.

Stock added

Salt and couscous added

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until couscous is tender and chicken is cooked through, 12 to 14 minutes. Serve immediately. Be sure to remove the lemon peel before serving.  I also remove the chicken skin, it has given all the flavor it has to the dish.

Halfway there

Ready to eat