Lemon Chicken with Pine Nut Sauce & Vegetable Couscous
Submitted by lmj
Lemon-marinated chicken breast with a saffron pine nut and olive sauce served over vegetable couscous. A Moroccan-inspired three-component dinner with bold North African flavors.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
6 hrsCOOK
70 minREADY
This is a dinner with three parts that come together beautifully: chicken breasts marinated overnight in lemon, olive oil, cilantro, ginger, and red pepper flakes, then baked until golden. A pan sauce built from the drippings with pine nuts, Sicilian green olives, saffron, honey, and lemon. And a bed of couscous studded with sauteed red pepper, carrot, zucchini, and red onion tinted golden with turmeric and saffron.
The olive and pine nut sauce is where the magic happens. Deglazing the baking pan captures all those caramelized bits from the chicken, and reducing the sauce with broth, honey, and lemon concentrates the flavors. Swirling in cold butter at the end gives it a glossy, restaurant-quality finish.
Marinate the chicken for at least 6 hours. That long soak in lemon and ginger infuses the meat deeply, so the flavor goes all the way through, not just the surface.
Chef Tips
- Deglaze the baking pan while it’s still hot; the browned bits lift easily with broth and a wooden spoon
- Skim the fat from the drippings carefully; save 2 tablespoons for the sauce and discard the rest
- Let the couscous sit covered for a full 15 minutes so it absorbs all the broth
- Swirl the butter in off the heat; boiling it breaks the emulsion and makes the sauce greasy
Variations
- Use chicken thighs for juicier, more forgiving results
- Substitute Israeli (pearl) couscous for a chewier texture
- Add preserved lemon to the sauce for an even more authentic North African flavor
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare marinade:
Combine olive oil, lemon, cilantro, ginger and red pepper flakes in large plastic food storage bag.
Add chicken; seal bag; shake to coat chicken evenly.
Refrigerate 6 hours or overnight, turning bag occasionally.
Heat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
Arrange chicken in 13×9×3-inch metal baking pan.
Sprinkle with salt.
Bake for 45 minutes or until chcken is no longer pink near center.
Transfer to serving platter; keep warm.
Meanwhile, prepare Olive and Pine Nut Sauce: Pour drippings from baking pan into large measuring cup.
Add ½ cup chicken broth to baking pan; stir with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits from bottom of pan.
Add to drippings in cup.
Let stand until fat rises to top.
Spoon 2 tbsp fat from drippings into medium-size skillet.
Skim remaining fat from cup and discard.
Add onion, ginger and garlic to skillet; cook over medium heat until onion is softened and golden, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add olives, pine nuts, pepper flakes, saffron, lemon juice, honey and remaining 1 cup chicken broth; stir until well blended.
Boil until sauce is reduced and thickened, about 7 minutes.
Remove from heat; swirl in butter and cilantro just until butter is incorporated.
Prepare Vegetable Couscous:
Heat olive oil in medium-size skillet.
Add sweet red pepper, carrot, zucchini, red onion, turmeric and saffron.
Cook over medium heat until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes.
Stir in chicken broth; bring to boiling.
Remove from heat.
Place couscous in large bowl.
Pour vegetable-broth mixture over couscous; toss gently to combine.
Cover with plastic wrap; let stand 15 minutes before serving.
Spoon Olive and Pine Nut Sauce over chicken.
Serve immediately with Vegetable Couscous.
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