Za’atar Chicken with Orange Couscous
I've really enjoyed most of the Moroccan food I've tasted. I have a couple of beautiful Moroccan cookbooks too, and I love them as much for the photographs and insight into Moroccan culture as for the wonderful recipes.
However, it's this simple recipe from Taste.com.au that I make when I need a Moroccan fix and don't — or can't — take the time to slow-cook a meal in the tagine or spend a lot of time in front of the stove.
Za'atar Chicken with Orange Couscous
Za'atar Chicken is one of my favourite meals. Like most of my favourites, it's both simple and scrumptious.
Serves 4
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (3 tbs) zaatar*
- 4 skinless chicken breast fillets
- ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
- ⅓ cup (80ml) white wine
- ¾ cup (185ml) chicken stock
- 1 ½ cups (270g) couscous
- ⅓ cup toasted pine nuts
- 2 oranges, peeled, segmented, juice reserved (about 50ml)
- ½ cup coriander leaves
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C.
- Rub the zaatar all over the chicken.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large, deep frypan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 2 minutes each side until golden.
- Transfer to a roasting pan and cook in the oven for about 10 minutes or until cooked through.
- Wipe the frypan with paper towel, then heat over medium-high heat. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute, then add the stock.
- Bring to the boil, add the couscous, remove from heat, cover and stand for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the pine nuts, orange segments and coriander leaves.
- Whisk the remaining olive oil and reserved orange juice in a small bowl with cumin. Add to the couscous and gently combine.
- Slice the chicken breasts and serve on top of the couscous.
Notes
* Spice blend of thyme leaves, sumac, sesame seeds and salt from gourmet and Middle Eastern food stores.Posted by Vicki on Monday, October 05, 2009 at 05:14 PM in Recipes and Chicken and Moroccan.