One-pan Cumin Chicken with Orange Couscous, Dates and Almonds

, from Issue #68. September, 2016
Photography by Josh Griggs.
One-pan Cumin Chicken with Orange Couscous, Dates and Almonds

An easy and super delicious one-pan dinner or weekend lunch packed with flavour from aromatic spices, chewy fresh dates and the crunch of roasted almonds

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon each ground cumin and sea salt
4 single chicken breasts, skin on
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, thinly sliced

Couscous
1 cup instant couscous
finely grated zest and juice 1 orange
boiling water
1 teaspoon orange or rose blossom water
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon each ground turmeric and cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt

To finish
2 cups frozen broad beans, blanched and peeled
8 fresh dates, pitted and roughly chopped
½ cup roasted skin-on almonds, roughly chopped
good handful parsley, chopped
small handful mint

METHOD

Crush the cumin and salt together then sprinkle over the chicken.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and cook the chicken until fully cooked through, turning for even browning. Transfer to a plate and cover to keep warm. Don’t wash the sauté pan. 

Add the onion to the same pan, cover and cook until tender. 

Couscous: Put the couscous in a large heat-proof bowl. Put the orange zest and juice in a measuring jug and add enough boiling water to make 1 cup of liquid.
Stir in all the remaining ingredients, then pour over the couscous and mix to combine. Cover and leave for 10 minutes.

To finish: Fluff up the couscous with a fork and add the broad beans, dates, almonds and parsley.
Stir the couscous into the hot onions then cover and place over a very low heat for 3–4 minutes to heat through.
Slice the chicken and arrange over the couscous. Pour over any juices and scatter with the mint. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.