Smoky Apricot Chicken Couscous
Juicy chicken, sweet apricots, and smoky spices turn quick couscous into a weeknight skillet dinner.
Prep: 10 · Cook: 20 · Total: 30 · Serves: 4 · Difficulty: Easy · Rating: 4.7/5 (203 reviews)
INSPIRED BY
Built from the classic sweet-savory pairing of apricot and smoky spice, streamlined into a one-pan couscous dinner.
Story
This is my shortcut to a dinner that tastes like it has a backstory. Apricot preserves bring the glossy sweet note, smoked paprika brings the grill-side swagger, and couscous catches every drop of sauce. It is fast enough for Tuesday but interesting enough for the nights when plain chicken will not cut it. Put the skillet in the middle of the table and let everyone serve themselves.
By Theo
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/3 cup apricot preserves
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup couscous
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley
- 2 tbsp sliced almonds, toasted
Instructions
- Toss chicken with smoked paprika, cumin, and salt. Heat oil in a deep skillet over medium-high and brown chicken 4 to 5 minutes, then transfer to a plate.
- Add onion to the skillet and cook 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Whisk broth, apricot preserves, and lemon juice into the skillet, scraping up browned bits.
- Stir in couscous and return chicken with its juices. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes.
- Fluff couscous with a fork and check that the chicken is cooked through, adding a splash of broth if needed.
- Top with parsley and toasted almonds, then serve straight from the skillet.
Chef Tips
- Chicken thighs stay juicy, but chicken breast works if cut into small pieces.
- If your apricot preserves are very sweet, add another teaspoon of lemon juice.
- Toast almonds in the dry skillet before cooking the chicken for one-pan cleanup.
- Leftovers reheat well with a tablespoon of broth stirred in.
Cook's Notes
- Brown the chicken in a single layer for better color.
- Do not skip the five-minute couscous rest, it gives the grains time to hydrate.
- Add lemon at the end to keep the sauce lively.