Cinnamon Couscous Bowl with Seared Chicken and Apricots
Fluffy couscous topped with golden seared chicken, sweet apricots and toasted almonds, finished with a warm cinnamon and olive oil dressing. A high-protein bowl that comes together on the stovetop.
- Total
- 35 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 20 · Rest 5
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Searing · Toasting spices
- Savory
- Standard
- Stovetop
- Oven
Instructions
-
Boil 120 ml water in the small saucepan. Stir in the couscous, 0.25 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp cinnamon, cover, and pull off the heat. Let it stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
~5 min
Couscous is pre-steamed; covering off-heat lets it absorb water and steam without turning gluey.
Couscous needs no cooking, only a covered steam: once the water is absorbed, leave the lid on and let it sit the full 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork so the grains stay separate.
-
While step 1 waits
While the couscous stands, cut the chicken breast into 2 cm pieces and pat them dry. Season with the remaining 0.25 tsp salt and the black pepper. Slice the apricots into 1 cm wedges and roughly chop the almonds.
~5 min
Drying the chicken ensures a good sear, while even 2 cm pieces cook at the same rate.
-
Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in the non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, then turn and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until browned and the thickest piece reaches 74°C. Move the chicken to a plate.
~8 min
A single layer and no stirring lets the chicken brown through the Maillard reaction instead of steaming.
Pat the chicken dry and leave it untouched for the first 4 minutes so a golden crust forms instead of steaming in its own moisture.
Searing Pat the chicken dry and leave it undisturbed for 4 minutes so a golden crust forms; moving it too early steams the meat.
-
Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and the apricot wedges to the same pan. Cook 2 minutes, turning once, until they soften and pick up colour.
~2 min
Searing apricots in the same pan caramelizes their sugars and builds flavor from the chicken fond.
-
While step 4 cooks
While the apricots cook, toast the chopped almonds in the small dry frying pan over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking often, until fragrant and lightly golden. Take them off the heat.
~3 min
Toasting almonds in a dry pan drives off moisture and browns them, deepening their nutty flavor.
Toasting spices Toast nuts in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking often, until fragrant and lightly golden; they burn quickly, so pull them off the heat promptly.
-
Return the chicken and its resting juices to the pan with the apricots. Sprinkle over the remaining 0.25 tsp cinnamon and toss 1 minute, until everything is hot and coated. Spoon the couscous into a bowl, top with the chicken and apricots, and scatter over the toasted almonds.
~1 min