Name: Moroccan Chicken Couscous
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 90 min
Ingredients: 3 tbsp Moroccan spice blend (recipe below); 4 chicken breasts ( about 1 1/2 lbs, boneless and skinless); 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion (chopped); 5 cloves garlic (minced); 1/2 cup golden raisins; 14 oz chickpeas ((1 can) drained and washed); 14 oz fire roasted tomatoes ((1 can)); 3 cups chicken broth (low sodium); 1 cup pearl couscous (dry); 4 cups kale (rinsed and roughly chopped); 1 tsp ground cumin; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp allspice; 1 tsp coriander; 1/2 tsp turmeric; 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tsp cardamom

This Moroccan Chicken Couscous is super flavorful and healthy loaded with exotic spices but still simple enough to make any night of the week.

a braiser full of pearl couscous, kale, and spiced chicken breasts

I’m so excited to share with you today’s recipe because it’s so good, loaded with delicious flavors and best yet, it’s healthy! Today we’re going to Morocco with all these exotic spices, fluffy couscous, and perfectly plump golden raisins. Did I mention you can make it all in one pot?

What Is Couscous?

Did you know that couscous is just small beads of pasta made from semolina? It’s very popular in places like Turkey, Greece, Spain, France, and lots of Arabic countries. Traditionally, it is served with meat and vegetable stew. It cooks very quickly, so it’s perfect for a hectic night when you want a quick and healthy dinner.

If you cook couscous properly it’s very light and fluffy. Luckily, in most western supermarkets, couscous is instant, which means it’s been pre-steamed and dried. Otherwise there’s no science to cooking couscous, usually you just follow the package instructions, one cup of boiling water to 3/4 cup of couscous. You can also add some butter or olive oil to it and some salt. And really, that’s all there is to it.

Ingredients

Detailed measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Moroccan spice blend

Spices – Ground cumin, cinnamon, ginger, paprika, allspice, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper, cardamom.
Seasoning – Salt and pepper.

Moroccan couscous

Moroccan spice blend – Listed above, all ground and whisked together thoroughly.
Chicken – Breasts boneless and skinless.
Olive oil – A neutral tasting oil to brown our chicken and veggies in.
Onion – We want a large onion that cooks down well like white or yellow.
Garlic – Use as much or little as you like.
Raisins – Golden raisins as they’re nice and sweet.
Broth – Chicken broth low sodium or no sodium added.
Chickpeas – Just an entire can for some great chew and lots of fiber.
Tomatoes – I used fire roasted tomatoes, they may not be traditional but they pack so much more flavor than regular diced tomatoes.
Couscous – I used pearl couscous today, more information written below.
Kale – Rinsed thoroughly and chopped. No need to massage the kale as we are going to cook it down.

What Is Pearl Couscous?

Pearl couscous, sometimes also called Israeli couscous, can be found anywhere now, I find mine in my local grocery store. Pearl couscous is the same as regular couscous but just a bit bigger and sometimes as you can see here it comes in various colors. Too cool and I thought it would be perfect in this dish. I was right, as usual!

How To Make Moroccan Chicken Couscous

Preheat the oven: Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
Create the spice blend: Combine all the Moroccan spice blend ingredients together. The recipe should yields about 8 to 9 tsp or about 3 tbsp. Season the chicken breasts with 2 tbsp of the Moroccan spice blend thoroughly.
Brown the chicken: In a large Dutch Oven or an oven safe pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add the chicken breasts and sear on both sides until browned, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. The chicken will not be cooked through at all, it will just be crispy on the outside. Transfer the chicken from the pot to a plate and set aside.
Saute the sauteables: Add the onion and garlic to the pot and saute for about 3 minutes until onion softens and becomes translucent and garlic is aromatic. add the remaining 1 tbsp of the Moroccan spice blend and stir.
Incorporate the rest of the ingredients: Add the golden raisins, chickpeas, fire roasted tomatoes, chicken broth, couscous and stir well. Gently stir in the kale. Bring to a boil, then add the chicken breasts back.
Cook the dish: Cover the pot with a lid and place in the oven. If your pot doesn’t have a lid, cover with aluminum foil. Cook in the oven for 30 minutes with the lid on, then remove the lid and cook for an additional 30 minutes.

a plate of couscous with kale, topped with a sliced chicken breast with a fork

Want To Test Out That Tagine?

This is a perfect dish to make in your new tagine! For more information on this cook ware and please refer to this recipe. You can follow the instructions just the same as they’re outlined here.

Leftovers

This Moroccan chicken couscous will last for 3 – 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. This dish also freezes well for those of us who like to make our dishes ahead of time, just place in a sturdy freezer bag and it’ll keep for 3 – 4 months. Allow it to thaw fully overnight in the fridge before reheating to temperature on the stove top.

Moroccan Chicken Couscous