Delicious and vibrant, this one pot Israeli couscous with chicken is what Mediterranean dinners are made for! Succulent chicken is seasoned with fresh lemon zest and herbs and layered with aromatic saffron, fresh vegetables, and chewy pearl couscous.
One pot Israeli couscous with chicken is full of bright and vibrant Mediterranean flavors, packed with fresh vegetables and chewy pearl couscous. And the best part is, it all comes together effortlessly in a single pot, or in this case, your trusty Dutch oven! For another wonderful One Pot Chicken meal, try my One Pot Chicken Provencal or my Chicken Francese.
Bone in, skin on chicken thighs are the preferred cut thanks to their added fat content and delicious chicken skin that gets golden and crispy. Once the chicken is seared, layers of aromatics are sauteed including a pinch of saffron and a splash of white wine that brings all of the Mediterranean flavors together. Here is The Ultimate Mediterranean Diet Shopping List.
📋 Ingredients
- Chicken Thighs: Skin on, bone-in chicken thighs stay juicy and give great flavor thanks to the chicken skin. You can also use drumsticks or a combination of both.
- Israeli Couscous: Also called pearl couscous, are small ball shaped pasta that soak up flavor and liquids very well. Pearl couscous become chew and delicious, but be sore not to overcook as the pearl couscous can become too mushy.
- Aromatics: Garlic, Shallot, Fennel all give the one pot chicken dish fantastic flavor. If fennel isn't available, substitute with sliced leeks.
- Zucchini: Cut the zucchini into ½-1 inch cubes, which will cook at the same rate as the other ingredients. You can also use yellow squash instead of green zucchini.
- Spices: Thyme, Cumin: Fresh thyme gives a lovely lemony flavor, but in a pinch, I've made this with dried thyme, which works great. When using dried herbs, rub the herbs between your hands for a bit to wake up the flavors.
- Saffron: A pinch of saffron goes a long way! While you prep the recipe, steep the saffron in a small bowl of water to bloom the flavors.
- Lemon: Use a microplane to grate the lemon zest before cutting it for the juice. I love adding lemon zest to all sorts of dishes, such as on top of roasted brussels sprouts and roasted citrus salmon.
- Olive Oil:
- White Wine: Use a dry wine, such as Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc. If wine isn't available, use broth or water with a splash of lemon juice.
- Tomato Paste: A dollop of tomato pasta gives the one pot couscous dish a slight sweetness. Be sure to break up the tomato paste into the oil to wake up the flavors.
- Chicken Stock: I love using a concentrated stock that can be added to water. If stock isn't available, you can use plain water.
🍋 Substitutions and Variations
- Use Different Vegetables: Substitute zucchini with yellow squash, bell peppers or cherry tomatoes.
- Saffron: If saffron is unavailable, use ½ teaspoon of turmeric for a similar yellow color and subtle flavor.
- No White Wine?: If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, use chicken or vegetable broth with a splash of lemon juice.
- Gluten Free Option: Substitute the pearl couscous with basmati rice.
⏲️ Instructions
Step 1. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, and season with chopped garlic, thyme, cumin, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice and 1⁄4 cup of olive oil. Use your hands to evenly coat the mixture all over, and set aside.
Step 2. Drizzle the Dutch oven with olive oil and sear the chicken thighs, skin side down until the skin is a deep golden color, then flip over and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes. Once done, remove and set aside.
Step 3. To the same Dutch oven, add the chopped shallot and fennel, and sauté́ for 2-3 minutes to soften.
Step 4. Stir in the tomato paste and saffron water, and use a spatula to break up the paste so it melts into the oil. Next, pour in the white wine, and use a spatula to scrape any meaty bits from the bottom.
Step 5. Add the zucchini and pearl couscous and give everything a gentle toss.
Step 6. Pour in the chicken stock and give everything a gentle mix to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Add the chicken, with any accumulated juices, skin side up.
Step 7. Cover and cook for 25 to 28 minutes, until at least half of the liquid has absorbed. Then remove the lid, and continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown. Garnish with parsley and serve.
📍 Recipe Tips
- Dry the Chicken: Before adding the seasonings, use paper towels to dry the chicken pieces all over. This will ensure the flavors stick to the chicken, as well as achieving a good sear.
- Want Extra Crispy Skin? Towards the end of cooking, place the Dutch oven under the broiler for 3-5 minutes for extra crispy skin.
Recipe FAQs
Adding too much liquid and over cooking can lead to mushy pearl couscous.
Yes, if your chicken breasts are thicker, you may need to add an additional 5-8 minutes of cooking time.
Serving Suggestions
- Add a crisp kale salad with tahini dressing on the side.
- For a spicy kick, dollop a spoonful of zhoug sauce onto the chicken and pearl couscous.
- For another Wonderful One-Pot meal, try my Turkish Stuffed Onions.
More Mediterranean Chicken Recipes To Try
One Pot Garlic Chicken with Israeli Couscous
LittleFerraroKitchen.com
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 2 pounds chicken thighs bone in and skin on
- 4 garlic gloves finely chopped or grated
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ lemon zested and juiced
- ¼ cup olive oil plus 2 tbsp, divided
Pearl Couscous
- Pinch of saffron
- 2 tablespoons warm water
- 1 shallot diced
- 1 medium fennel bulb diced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup dry white wine such as Pinot Grigio
- 2 medium zucchini diced
- 1 cup dried pearl couscous
- 21/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish
Instructions
- Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, and season with the chopped garlic, thyme, cumin, salt, pepper, lemon zest, lemon juice and 1⁄4 cup of olive oil. Use your hands to evenly coat the chicken all over, and set aside. If you have the time, marinate for at least 20 minutes.
- While the chicken marinades, preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Add warm water to a small bowl and add a pinch of saffron to the water and let the saffron steep while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
- Heat a wide Dutch oven over medium to high heat and drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Once hot, sear the chicken thighs in the Dutch oven, skin side down until the skin is a deep golden color, then flip over and cook the other side for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Once the chicken is seared on both sides, transfer it to a plate.
- To the same Dutch oven, add the chopped shallot and fennel, and sauté́ for 2-3 minutes to soften. Then stir in the tomato paste and saffron water, and use a spatula to break up the paste so it melts into the oil. Next, pour in the white wine, and use a spatula to scrape any meaty bits from the bottom.
- Add the zucchini and pearl couscous and pour in the chicken stock. Give everything a gentle mix to evenly distribute all of the ingredients. Add the seared chicken back into the stock, with any accumulated juices, skin side up.
- Cover and position the Dutch oven on the middle rack in the oven, and cook for 25 to 28 minutes, until at least half of the liquid has absorbed. Then remove the lid, and continue cooking for 8 to 10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and golden brown and the pearl couscous is tender.
- Once done, remove the chicken from the oven and let cool for 3-5 minutes and garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
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- Dry the Chicken: Before adding the seasonings, use paper towels to dry the chicken pieces all over. This will ensure the flavors stick to the chicken, as well as achieving a good sear.
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- Want Extra Crispy Skin? Towards the end of cooking, place the Dutch oven under the broiler for 3-5 minutes for extra crispy skin.
- A Printable list of Mediterranean Spices for your Pantry.
Irene Ilse says
Tanks for this great recipe which at once has become one of my absolute favourites. The dish was easy to make and tasted really wonderful.
Samantha says
Thank you so much Irene!
Barbara says
In the spirit of using up everything in my pandemic pantry, including some Israeli couscous, I came across this recipe and it looks just about perfect — down to the shape of my le crueset Dutch oven, which is a different size and color but I can adapt. Thank you!
Samantha says
Oh yay...hope you enjoy and happy cooking!