Cook traditional Moroccan-style chicken and couscous in a couscoussiere

The traditional Moroccan-style chicken and couscous recipe will satiate your palate. Couscous is a nutritious and adaptable side dish that goes well with everything from roasted broccoli to chicken kebabs.

Preparation Time 15 Minutes

Cooking Time 1 HR 15 Minutes

Total Time 1 HR 30 Minutes

Serves 8

Ingredients

Couscous Preparation

• 2 cup dry couscous
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• water
• Butter or Olive oil (optional)

Topping for couscous

• 3 tsp olive oil
• 2-3 chicken breasts
• 1 sweet potato peeled and quartered
• 1/2 lb green peas shelled
• 1/2 lb carrots peeled and halved
• 3 zucchini’s peeled and halved
• 1 onion peeled and cut into 1/8ths
• Bouquet garni of 2/3 italian parsley to 1/3 cilantro
• 3 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp black pepper)
• 2 tsp ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic
• 4 threads of saffron
• 1/2 tsp turmeric

Instructions to prepare couscous

1. Pour the couscous into a large bowl, add the water, and roll the couscous with your hands to separate the grains.
2. Water should be seasoned with a small amount of salt (less than 1/2 teaspoon).
3. As you prepare the topping for the bottom pan, let the ingredients soak.
4. Check the couscous after 20 minutes; any extra water should have been boiled off and the grains should be beginning to feel mushy.
5. Take off the pot’s lid and pour the contents into a big bowl.
6. To prepare a salt water spritz, combine water and salt in a separate basin.
7. Spray the saltwater onto the couscous with your hand.
8. Although the couscous will be quite hot, the grains must first be separated. Roll the couscous with your hand to separate the grains as much as possible. During this time, you can keep spritzing the couscous.
9. Once finished, put the couscousiere back on the heat, cover it, and steam for an additional 20 minutes.
10. After the second steaming, re-spray the couscous and this time add ordinary butter or olive oil; you can also choose not to add any butter or oil.
11. For the last 20 minutes, the couscous is steam-cooked.

To prepare the topping: chicken and vegetables in the couscoussier

1. Peel and chop all vegetables.
2. Sort vegetables according to cooking time.
3. Chicken and the veggies that will take the longest to cook, sweet potatoes, carrots, and onions, should be placed at the bottom of the couscoussier.
4. Add 4-5 cups of water, just enough to cover the vegetables.
5. Include the bouquet garni and all the spices.
6. Set the heat to medium-high.
7. Cover the saucepan with the couscoussiere’s top.
8. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes.
9. Add the veggies that cook more quickly after the second steaming to the couscoussiere’s base (peas, zucchini, etc).
10. If the water level is low, check it and add extra.
11. There should be some sauce remaining at the end.

Serve

1. Pour the couscous into a big serving bowl and form a well in the middle of it.
2. Remove the meat from the couscoussiere with a slotted spoon and place it in the couscous well.
3. The vegetables should now be removed and placed around the couscous.
4. The bouquet garni should be taken off and discarded.
5. After you’ve removed all of the vegetables, pour half of the remaining sauce over the meat and couscous and the other half into a plate to serve your traditional Moroccan-style Chicken and Couscous.

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