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Crispy Herb Chicken with Couscous

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Cook Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 6 chicken thighs , skin on/bone in
  • 1 leek , sliced (use white part)
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons dried oregano
  • Kosher Salt
  • Pepper
  • Ghee
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/4 cup white wine or champagne
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1 1/4 cup pearl couscous (I love using Trader Joe's Harvest blend - link in description above)
  • handful of cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • 2 lemons , quartered
  • Garnishes: Chopped Italian flat leaf parsley, lemon zest, Maldon salt.

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet lay out chicken thighs. Pat them dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with paprika, oregano, salt and pepper. Be sure to sprinkle evenly on both sides. Drizzle each thigh with about 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil, then rub spices into the thighs.
  • In a cast iron pan, heat a big spoonful of ghee over medium heat.
  • Add sliced leek and sauté until leek is softened, about 5 minutes. Remove leek with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  • Add another big spoonful of ghee, turn heat to medium high and then add your chicken thighs. You may need to do this in batches. My cast iron pan can fit 3-4 thighs, depending on size. You don't want to overcrowd the pan because then the skin won't get crispy. If you have 2 cast iron pans, use 2!
  • Brown chicken on both sides, about 5-7 minutes per side. Remove and set aside back on foil lined baking sheet.
  • With the heat still medium high, add the wine and reduce by half. This will only take about 1-2 minutes.
  • Stir in broth, couscous, sautéed leeks and tomatoes.
  • Place chicken on top of couscous mixture.
  • Place quartered lemons around the chicken.
  • Bake until chicken is completely cooked through, about 25-35 minutes.
  • Scoop some couscous and piece of chicken onto a plate, garnish with fresh parsley, freshly grated lemon zest, and a sprinkle of Maldon salt.
  • If you want to be extra fun, take the cast iron pan to the table and serve directly from the pan. Be sure to put something down on your table because the pan will be HOT!! You'll also need a mitt because the handle will be HOT!!