ras el hanout chicken with spicy couscous

Ras el hanout chicken with a spicy couscous makes a perfect lunch dish or a quick and easy mid-week dinner. Ideal for those who enjoy a hit of spice.

A few weeks ago Michelle and I were sat debating the merits of couscous.  Turns out I love it, however Michelle said that she tires of it very easily.  My favourite way to serve couscous is heavily spiced which is no great shock to anyone who knows me. Michelle said she has never cooked a spiced up version before so I volunteered to cook it for her sometime.

We were blogging today and had quite a lot to get through so lunch needed to be quick. I have never been one for a daily dose of sandwiches (which is why my blogging buddy enjoys lunch at my house). Inspiration hit as I recalled our conversation a couple of weeks ago. So ras el hanout chicken with couscous for lunch.

What is ras el hanout?

Ras el hanout is simply a spice blend, originating from North Africa. Ras el hanout chicken with couscous is a dish that appears weekly in my house. Any dish containing the North African spice blend ras el hanout is a winner with my family. It is not a fiery blend, more aromatic. The spices used are warmer spices including cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Making this an ideal family friendly spice blend, a great one for introducing kids to spice.

Try Ras el hanout chicken and top the couscous with a generous handful of pomegranate seeds. Warm spices, the sweetness of the peppers and the burst of juice from the pomegranate. Does lunchtime get any better? Unless of course you can wash it down with a nice crisp glass of white wine! Alas not today with the school run to factor in.

Additional recipe suggestions:

If you like this recipe then try our Chicken Salad with Pomegranate & Harissa, or our Bulgur Wheat Risotto with Asparagus & Pancetta, or our Chicken Pilaf, both great spiced dishes.

It is a great dish to serve as part of a mezze platter. For more recipes read my Easy Mezze Platter Ideas post.

Looking for inspiration for feeding the family mid week, then take a look at our Ultimate Guide to Family Dinners. Full of useful hints, tips and recipes.

Spicy Couscous with Ras el hanout Chicken

Ras el hanout chicken served with a spicy couscous. A great choice for lunch or for a quick midweek dinner!

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Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 35 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 597kcal

Author: Lesley Garden

Equipment

• Medium bowl
• medium saucepan
• Large non stick frying pan or skillet
• Kitchen knife
• Cutting boards
• weighing scales
• Measuring jug
• measuring spoons
• Pestle and mortar

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
• ▢ 2 tbsp ras el hanout spice blend
• ▢ 400 g chicken breast (sliced)
• ▢ 1 pomegranate (seeds removed)
• ▢ 2 tbsp fresh herbs to garnish (eg mint, parsley, coriander)

Spicy Couscous

• ▢ 1 tbsp olive oil
• ▢ 50 g butter (split into 2 x 25g sticks)
• ▢ 2 banana shallots (finely chopped)
• ▢ 1 red pepper (finely diced)
• ▢ 1 red chilli (finely diced)
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
• ▢ 1 inch cinnamon stick
• ▢ 2 cardamon pods (seeds only – remove the husk)
• ▢ 1 heaped tsp coriander seeds
• ▢ 1 heaped tsp fennel seeds
• ▢ 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ▢ ½ – 1 tsp red chilli flakes (adjust to taste)
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• ▢ 240 g couscous
• ▢ 500 ml vegetable stock

Instructions

• Place 1 tablespoons of the olive oil along with the ras el hanout spice into a bowl and mix to combine. Add the chicken and stir well to coat. Set aside until you are ready to cook. (You can marinade the chicken for longer if you have time).
• To prepare the couscous, heat the olive oil and half the butter in a heavy based saucepan over a medium heat, add the vegetables and saute gently for 5 minutes. The vegetables should soften but not colour.
• While the vegetables are cooking, place the dried spices for the couscous in a pestle and mortar along with the salt and grind down to a powder.
• Add the spices to the saucepan and continue to saute gently with the vegetables for a further 2 minutes.
• Lower the heat and add the wine vinegar to the pan, stirring to combine. Leave this to cook away for a further 5 minutes.
• Once the vegetables and spices are ready add the couscous and vegetable stock. Take the pan off the heat, stir well to combine, place on the pan lid and set aside to allow the water to be absorbed.
• Meanwhile heat up the remaining tablespoons of olive oil in a non stick frying pan and once hot add the chicken and any of the remaining marinade. Stir fry the chicken until golden and cooked through.
• Just before serving fork the remaining half of the butter through the couscous to separate out the grains.
• Serve the couscous in warm bowls with the chicken on top. Garnish with a generous helping of pomegranate seeds and freshly chopped herbs.

Notes

This dish is lovely served hot but leftovers make a great cold spicy couscous salad for lunch the next day.

Nutrition Facts

Spicy Couscous with Ras el hanout Chicken

Amount Per Serving

Calories 597 Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 8g50%

Trans Fat 0.4g

Polyunsaturated Fat 2g

Monounsaturated Fat 9g

Cholesterol 91mg30%

Sodium 1303mg57%

Potassium 866mg25%

Carbohydrates 70g23%

Fiber 9g38%

Sugar 14g16%

Protein 32g64%

Vitamin A 1943IU39%

Vitamin C 67mg81%

Calcium 101mg10%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •

Course : Main Course

Cuisine : Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Morrocan

Keyword : easy spicy couscous, moroccan spiced couscous, ras el hanout chicken breast, ras el hanout chicken recipe, spiced couscous

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