Spicy and Sweet Chicken and Couscous Pot with Minty Cilantro Sauce
Exotic, easy, and healthy, too, this simple dish is just delish.
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a sauce pot over medium-low heat, combine 2 cups of the chicken stock with the mango chutney and a little salt and pepper, bring it up to a bubble, and then turn down the heat to low to just keep warm.
Step 2
Heat a large skillet with high sides or a soup pot over medium-high heat with the EVOO. Once the oil is hot, add the coriander, cumin, and red pepper flakes to the oil and “toast” the spices, stirring constantly for about 15 seconds. Add the chicken and toss it in the spices until well coated. Spread the chicken out in an even layer and season it with salt and pepper. Cook the chicken pieces for 2 minutes on each side to brown, then add the onions, red bell pepper, garlic, and three fourths of the grated ginger. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken stock and continue to cook until almost all of the liquids have evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 3
Scoot the chicken and veggies to the sides of the skillet, creating a crater in the center of the pan. Add the chicken stock–chutney mixture and the lemon zest and juice, bring up to a bubble, and then add the couscous to the crater. Give the skillet a shake to get the couscous to settle into the liquids but still try to keep it in the crater. Use the back of a spoon to spread it out into the liquids if the shaking doesn’t do the trick. Cover it with a tight-fitting lid or with a piece of aluminum foil (if you are using foil, really wrap the top of the pan; you need to hold in the steam) and then turn off the heat and let it sit for about 5 minutes to cook the couscous.
Step 4
While the couscous is cooking with the chicken and the veggies, make the minty cilantro sauce. In a blender combine the yogurt, mint, cilantro, scallions, lime juice, the remaining grated ginger, and a small splash of water. Turn the blender on and puree until the mixture is smooth. If it doesn’t get going right away, add another splash of water to get it moving. Season the sauce with a little salt and pepper.
Step 5
To serve, with a fork mix the couscous with the chicken and veggies, serve up a couple of heaping spoonfuls in shallow bowls, and give each serving a generous drizzle of the minty cilantro sauce.
