Spiced Chicken with Couscous

(from 226-2tone’s recipe box)

Serves 4

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
We captured the flavors of Morocco without buying out the spice aisle by rubbing bone-in chicken breasts with ground cumin and pumpkin pie spice, a blend of warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. While the spice-scented chicken baked, we prepared a hearty five-minute couscous studded with fruit, chickpeas, and olives.

Source: Cook's Country October/November 2011 (CC and CI collection) (from RecipeThing user Bethany)

Categories: Moroccan, Poultry

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed and halved crosswise
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed
  • 1 cup couscous
  • 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces
  • 1/3 cup green olives stuffed wtih pimento, sliced, PLUS
  • 1 tablespoon olive brine

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450°F. Combine cumin, pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in bowl.

  2. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and rub with spice mixture. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high until just smoking. Cook chicken, skin side down, until browned, about 5 minutes. Arrange chicken, skin side up, in 13 × 9-inch baking dish and roast until meat registers 160°F, about 20 minutes.

  3. Meanwhile, bring broth to boil in now-empty skillet. Stir in chickpeas, couscous, apricots, olives, and olive brine, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with chicken.

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