Harissa Chicken & Couscous One-Pot

• 700 gboneless skinless chicken thigh fillets, cut into large chunks
• 3garlic cloves, minced
• 400 mlchicken stock
• 1red pepper, deseeded and diced
• 1courgette, diced
• 1 x 400gtin chopped tomatoes
• Fine salt, to taste
• 1large onion, diced
• 1 tspground cumin
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 2 tbsprose harissa paste
• 250 gdried giant couscous
• 30 mllemon juice
• Black pepper, to taste
• 15 gcoriander or mint leaves, torn, optional (optional)
• 4 tbspplain yoghurt (optional)

Method

1. 1Heat the olive oil in a large, wide, lidded casserole over a high heat until it shimmers. Pat the chicken dry, season generously with salt and pepper.
2. 2Brown the chicken in two batches, 4–5 minutes a side, until deeply golden. Keep the pan hot and uncrowded so the meat catches and colours instead of turning soft and grey. Lift the chicken out onto a plate and set aside; it'll finish cooking in the sauce.
3. 3Drop the heat to medium. Add the onion and red pepper to the pan, scraping up any chicken fond stuck on the base. Cook for about 5 minutes until the onion is translucent and the pepper has lost its raw edge.
4. 4Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, keeping it pale. Add the cumin and harissa paste and fry them in the oil for another minute or so until the kitchen smells smoky and properly fragrant.
5. 5Tip in the chopped tomatoes and courgette along with the chicken stock, stirring well. Cook for 3 minutes to take the raw edge off.
6. 6Return the chicken to the pan with any resting juices. Bring up to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce has thickened to a rust-red gloss. Taste the sauce now and adjust the salt; the harissa carries heat but the salt makes everything else show up.
7. 7Stir the giant couscous into the simmering sauce. Cover and cook gently for 12 to 15 minutes, or for the time on the packet, stirring every few minutes so it does not stick. Add a splash of boiling water whenever the sauce becomes too thick before the couscous is tender. Check a grain: it should be tender with a slight bite, with no hard centre. Giant couscous needs to simmer; it will not cook by standing off the heat.
8. 8Take the pan off the heat, stir through the lemon juice and leave covered for 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
9. 9Spoon into shallow bowls and add any optional yoghurt and torn coriander or mint.

Per serving

kcal

591

protein

46.6g

fibre

6.4g

carbs

63.6g

fat

15.7g