Description
A flavorful one-pot meal featuring crispy skin-on chicken thighs cooked with giant couscous and nutrient-rich cavolo nero, infused with garlic and a fresh lemon-parsley dressing. This dish combines savory and zesty flavors for a satisfying, easy-to-make dinner.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Seasoning
- 4 large skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 200g cavolo nero, stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, grated
Grains
- 250g giant couscous
Dressing
- Small bunch of parsley, finely chopped
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Season and Brown Chicken: Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Place them skin-side down in a wide, ovenproof frying pan (about 30cm wide) over medium-low heat. Cook for 8-10 minutes until the skin turns golden and crispy.
- Remove Chicken and Preheat Oven: Transfer the browned chicken thighs to a plate to rest. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan)/gas mark 6.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same pan, add the thinly sliced onion and finely chopped cavolo nero stalks. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes until softened. Add the grated garlic and roughly chopped cavolo nero leaves and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
- Add Giant Couscous: Stir the giant couscous into the vegetable mixture, mixing well to combine.
- Add Water and Simmer: Pour in 675ml of cold water and stir everything thoroughly. Season to taste, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
- Return Chicken and Bake: Nestle the browned chicken thighs skin-side up on top of the couscous mixture in the pan. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.
- Prepare Dressing: While the chicken cooks, mix the finely chopped parsley with the lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil. Season the dressing with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Rest and Serve: Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to stand for 5 minutes. Drizzle the lemon-parsley dressing over the chicken and couscous before serving.
Notes
- Using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs helps keep the meat juicy and flavorful.
- Giant couscous absorbs flavors well but maintains a nice texture – do not overcook to avoid sogginess.
- Ovenproof frying pan is essential to transfer directly from stovetop to oven for seamless cooking.
- Adjust the seasoning and lemon juice in the dressing according to personal taste for brightness.
- For added warmth, sprinkle some red chili flakes into the couscous while cooking.
- Ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F) to guarantee safe consumption.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop and Baking
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: chicken thighs, giant couscous, cavolo nero, one-pot meal, garlic chicken, lemon dressing, Mediterranean dinner
