Recipe for March

Leon - Spicy Chicken Couscous

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, skin cut off, cut into big chunks
• 2 tsp. dried chili flakes
• a few hefty pinches of ground cinnamon
• 8 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
• about 8 tbsp. of olive oil
• 1 1/2 tbsp. good curry powder (or curry paste)
• about 8 handfuls of couscous
• 2 heaped tbsp. of butter
• 2 handfuls of raisins or sultanas (optional)
• 500 ml/2 cups chicken stock
• salt
• pine nuts, mint leaves, coriander, and lemon, to serve

For the tomatoes:

• 6 ripe plum tomatoes, cut in halves
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 220ºC/430ºF/gas mark 7.
2. In a small bowl, mix the chili flakes, cinnamon, garlic, salt, 4 tbsp. of the olive oil, and curry powder together. Coat your chicken pieces with it, then leave them in an ovenproof dish to marinate, 20 minutes or so.
3. If you are making the tomatoes, here is what you do: mix the garlic and oil for the tomatoes together. Lay the tomato halves on a baking tray with the garlic/oil mix. Season liberally.
4. About halfway into the marinating process, make your near-perfect couscous: put the couscous and sultanas/raisins (if using) into a medium-sized, heatproof bowl and stir with the remaining 4 tbsp. olive oil, completely coating the grains. Cover with the chicken stock, then lay a tea towel over the bowl and leave the couscous for 5 minutes.
5. When the couscous is finished, fluff it with a fork and then pour it into the dish with the chicken. Mix everything around, pushing the sultanas/raisins below the surface, since they can burn. You will want the couscous to be coated in the marinade, as well. Dot the top with the knobs of butter and cook on the upper shelf for 25 minutes, putting the tomato tray on the shelf underneath.
6. If you are using pine nuts as a garnish, toast them. Then, when everything is done, scatter on top, along with the chopped mint, coriander, and squeeze of lemon.
7. Plate and serve with the tomatoes.

​To add an extra layer of texture and healthy greens, wilt a large bag of baby spinach and place into the oven dish before you add the chicken and couscous.