Right at the top of the list of things I never, ever cook is chicken breast. It’s also something I never, ever order if there’s a choice between other parts of the chicken. Why ever choose the breast if you could have a juicier (and cheaper!) thigh or drum? But recently, my world momentarily came apart when I decided to cook this chicken breast and couscous recipe from a tome on Lebanese cooking.
Turns out, sometimes chicken breast can be everything I was convinced it’s not. Juicy. Flavorful. Whatever is the opposite of sawdusty. I ate an entire plate of this dinner with a mixed look of skepticism and wonder, my reality suddenly swept out from under me. The skin was crispy and caramelized and the chicken was flavored to perfection with all of the spices we associate with Middle Eastern food – cinnamon, allspice, ginger. And the Israeli couscous on the side is an added bonus, because who doesn’t love fluffy balls of starch with their dinner?
This dish was so good that I don’t even care that I ruined a baking pan in the process. Yes, I should have known that if you drizzle honey on top of chicken and stick it in the oven, it’s going to drip all over the pan and burn. After the smoke began pouring from the oven, I removed the chicken, put it onto tin foil in a new pan, and stuck the old one outside to smolder. I like to share these stories because I get a lot of compliments from people. They marvel that I can cook a lot of things and tell me they’re intimidated. So it’s important for me to share that I also ruin a A LOT of stuff. Food, pans, appetites. Sometimes all three in a single meal preparation! Sometimes accidents happen and THAT IS OKAY. Put the burning pan outside and don’t face the window while you eat chicken and couscous.
I think the moral of the chicken breast story, besides that tin foil is more often than not a good idea, is that it’s important to keep an open mind. It’s more than a little ironic that I’ll jump at the chance to cook octopus, squid and quail but scoff at trying to make a good chicken breast dish. Sometimes taking a risk has a big payoff, and that’s what makes spending time in the kitchen fun. And when a payoff is poor, you just throw the pan in the garbage and order a pizza.
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus extra for brushing
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1/2 inch/1.25cm fresh ginger, peeled and grated
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Salt and pepper
- Scant 1 cup (5 oz./150g) giant (Israeli) couscous
- Pinch of ground turmeric
- Pinch of saffron dissolved in 2 teaspoons hot water
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Brush the chicken with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet or frying pan, add the chicken, skin side down, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes until golden brown, then turn and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan and place in a roasting pan, skin side up. Pour over the honey and roast in the oven for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Meanwhile, add the oil to the pan and heat. Add the onion and garlic, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 6-8 minutes until softened and lightly colored. Stir in the spices.
- Cook the couscous in plenty of salted boiling water for 6-8 minutes until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain well, tip into a serving dish and drizzle with olie oil and add the remaining ingredients. Mix well.
- Remove the chicken from the oven, cut it into slices and put on a serving plate, topped with caramelized onions. Pour any remaining cooking juices over the chicken and serve immediately with the couscous.
Notes
From The Lebanese Kitchen
