Quick Harissa Chicken and Couscous
This quick harissa chicken and couscous is packed full of flavour, yet super simple to make. It is perfect for a fuss-free supper or nourishing working from home lunch…
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 4
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Pan-frying
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern Inspired
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
- 4 tbsp full-fat yoghurt
- 1 tbsp harissa paste
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the couscous:
- 300g dried couscous
- 300ml water
- Olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 1 medium leek, finely chopped
- 4 sticks of celery, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 lemon, zest and juice
For the herby drizzle:
- Small bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
- Small bunch of mint, finely chopped
- Olive oil
- Salt
For the harissa yoghurt:
- 2 tbsp full-fat yoghurt
- About 2 tsp harissa paste, to taste
Instructions
- Slice the chicken thighs into chunky strips and place into a large mixing bowl. Add the yoghurt and harissa paste. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix well, massaging into the chicken pieces to completely coat. Set aside. Cover with cling film and chill in the fridge if making in advance.
- Next, cook your couscous: put the couscous in a large bowl and pour over the boiling water. Cover with a chopping board or tea towel and set aside for 10-15 minutes - or until fully absorbed. Once all the liquid has been absorbed, run a fork through the grains, separating them and fluffing it up. Re-cover with a chopping board or a tea towel for 5 minutes.
- For the chicken: add a generous glug of olive oil to a medium-sized non-stick frying pan and set over medium heat. Add the marinated chicken strips and cook for about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cooked through.
- Meanwhile, add another generous glug of olive oil to a separate medium-sized non-stick frying pan and set over medium heat. Add the onion, leek and celery and cook for about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until cooked but still crunchy. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the ground cumin and coriander, followed by the zest and juice of a lemon.
- Tip the vegetables into the couscous and fold through.
- For the herby drizzle, add the freshly chopped parsley and mint to a bowl then season with salt. Add a little olive oil and stir, until it's a drizzling consistency.
- For the harissa yoghurt: in a small bowl, mix together the yoghurt and harissa, to taste.
- To serve: add a portion of couscous to each plate. Top with the harissa chicken and a dollop of harissa yoghurt. Top with the herby drizzle. Serve with wedges of lime. Enjoy!
Notes
Scroll down for a step by step guide to help with this recipe.
To store: Leftovers can be stored in airtight containers (tupperwares) for up to 3 days in the fridge.
To reheat: You can reheat the couscous in the microwave in 30-second blasts until piping hot. Alternatively, serve cold or at room temperature. The chicken can be reheated in the microwave too and this will keep it juiciest. Otherwise, reheat in a 180c/350f oven for 10 minutes. I like to cover the dish with foil to prevent drying out.
To freeze: Leftover chicken can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let it cool and transfer to a freezer bag or to a tupperware and then place in the freezer. Defrost overnight in the fridge until fully thawed and then reheat in a 180c/350f oven for 10 minutes. I like to cover the dish with foil to prevent drying out.
Make ahead: You can marinate the chicken in the yoghurt-harissa mix the night before, cover and chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours before continuing with the recipe. The couscous can also be made ahead, left to cool completely then covered and chilled in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Spice: Harissa is spicy paste so add gradually to the harissa yoghurt if you prefer milder flavours. If you feel you have made it too spicy, you can always add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Alternatively, serve with plain yoghurt or sour cream. Raita or tzatziki also work well and avoid the additional harissa heat.
Serving suggestions: Harissa chicken and couscous is such a winning combination. However, you can swap the couscous for all sorts of rice, quinoa, orzo or bulgur wheat salads. Garlicky yoghurt (or even mayonnaise), tzatziki or raita are all delicious alternatives to the harissa mayo too.
Herby drizzle: You could serve with just freshly chopped mint and parsley rather than making a drizzle, if you'd rather.