Chicken Couscous with Lemon and Thyme Recipe
This delicious Chicken Couscous recipe features tender, golden-brown chicken thighs seasoned with garlic powder, paprika, and herbs, cooked together with toasted pearl couscous in a flavorful chicken broth. Finished with fresh thyme and lemon slices, this one-pan meal is perfect for a satisfying dinner and comes together in just 40 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 ¼ pound boneless skinless chicken thighs (4 pieces)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Couscous and Aromatics
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- 2 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ lemon (sliced)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Chicken: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel to ensure crisp skin and better browning.
- Season Chicken: In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture generously over both sides of the chicken thighs for full flavor.
- Sear Chicken: Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Place the seasoned chicken thighs presentation-side down and cook until golden brown and the chicken releases easily from the skillet, about 3–4 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- Toast Couscous and Aromatics: In the same skillet, add the pearl couscous, minced garlic, and fresh thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is fragrant and the couscous is lightly toasted, approximately 2–3 minutes.
- Deglaze and Boil: Pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the skillet, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Bring the mixture to a boil to start cooking the couscous.
- Bake with Chicken and Lemon: Nestle the seared chicken thighs back into the skillet on top of the couscous. Arrange lemon slices around the chicken. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and the couscous has absorbed the broth and puffed up.
Notes
- For extra flavor, you can marinate the chicken thighs in the seasoning mixture for 30 minutes before cooking.
- If you don’t have a cast-iron skillet, an oven-safe skillet or baking dish will work as well.
- Pearl couscous can be substituted with regular couscous but adjust the liquid amount and cooking times accordingly.
- Ensure the chicken is cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F for food safety.
