North African Chicken Couscous Bowls

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
• ½ teaspoon kosher or sea salt, divided
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper or crushed red pepper
• 1½ pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1½-inch pieces
• 1 large onion (any type), cut into 1-inch wedges
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¾ cup dried figs or prunes, coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups Veggie Scraps Broth ( page 120 ) or low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
• 1 lemon
• 4 scallions (green onions), green and white parts, thinly sliced
• 1½ cups uncooked regular or whole-wheat couscous

Instructions

1. 1Reserve any vegetable stems from your prep work to use in future homemade broths.
2. 2Combine the cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, one quarter teaspoon of the salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Transfer half of this spice blend to a smaller bowl and set it aside.
3. 3Place the chicken pieces and onion wedges into the large bowl with the remaining spices. Toss the mixture well to coat the ingredients evenly, then set it aside.
4. 4Warm the olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the minced garlic and the reserved spice blend, cooking and stirring constantly for 30 seconds.
5. 5Transfer the seasoned chicken and onions into the pot. Cook the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to soften. Stir the chopped figs and tomato paste into the pot.
6. 6Pour one and three quarter cups of the broth into the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the liquid to a boil.
7. 7Lower the heat to medium-low and let the stew simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally as the liquid slightly thickens. Remove the pot from the heat.
8. 8Grate the lemon zest directly into the pot. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice through a strainer into the stew, stirring well to combine.
9. 9Prepare the couscous while the chicken simmers. Pour the remaining two and one quarter cups of broth into a medium saucepan, add the sliced scallions, and bring the mixture to a boil.
10. 10Take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the couscous. Cover the pan and let it rest for 5 minutes. Add the remaining one quarter teaspoon of salt and fluff the grains thoroughly with a fork.
11. 11Divide the cooked couscous evenly among six bowls. Ladle the warm chicken stew and its spiced sauce directly over the couscous.
12. 12Adjust the heat level to your preference by stirring in a sliced jalapeño with the figs, or by adding half a teaspoon of smoked paprika to the initial spice blend.
13. 13Enhance the sweetness of the dish if desired by increasing the dried fruit to one full cup, or by whisking one tablespoon of honey into the simmering stew.

Nutrition

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