Easy Chicken and Couscous Skillet Dinner
Okay, so I have to share this recipe with you guys! This is probably our favorite, quickest, easiest weeknight dinner. It’s definitely my go-to meal. It can literally be on the table in 20 minutes, and it’s a one-dish dinner, so it’s perfect for a quick and easy weeknight meal when you don’t feel like cooking dinner! It’s got everything I love: savory chicken, pasta, caramelized veggies, and sweet simplicity.
Just a few simple things you can keep on hand and grab from your pantry or freezer when you want to make this — chicken, Israeli Couscous, diced onions, carrots, and celery, garlic, chicken broth, olive oil, salt and pepper — no special trip to the store needed!
Have you tried Israeli (Pearl) Couscous? Oh my gosh, I love it. It’s bigger than regular couscous — they’re little pearls of pasta, about the size of rice. It makes a fabulous side dish, and there’s so much you can do with it to dress it up. I love the texture. I buy this giant 5 lb bag from Costco (or order this one online from Amazon), because I’m obsessed with it.
I love using rotisserie chicken in this recipe. We often buy one at the beginning of the week and use it in recipes all week. But for this recipe you could also boil boneless, skinless chicken breasts for 10-15 minutes, shred, and season with salt, pepper, or any yummy seasoning you have on hand. I keep boneless, skinless chicken breasts in the freezer for occasions when we don’t have a rotisserie chicken on hand, and then just thaw them out under cold running water when I need to use them. Takes about 5 minutes. I make sure this recipe is something I can always make, lol!
I love using frozen, diced onions and carrots. They’re easy to use, I can use exactly what I need, and I know I’ll always have some on hand. Now, I’ve never seen frozen diced celery before, but celery cuts like butter, so you can chop up a big celery stalk like this one really fast.
Celery is one thing I don’t mind chopping!
Use what you need, then freeze the rest in a freezer bag. Boom! Your own frozen, diced celery you can use for next time.
Now that we’ve got all our ingredients, all you have to do to make this dinner is add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to a large skillet over medium high heat.
Throw in two cups each of your three veggies…
And plenty of salt and pepper. Saute for 5-10 minutes until softened and caramelized.
Pretend you see a photo of me adding minced garlic and stirring until combined and fragrant, about 30 seconds. I didn’t get a photo because I’m a dork, and I didn’t want my garlic to burn! :)
Pour in 1 1/3 cups of couscous, and stir to combine.
Add two cups of chicken broth, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
When it’s done, just add your chicken and stir to combine!
This is so, so good you guys. Caramelized veggies, pearls of pasta, and juicy, savory chicken. Hope you enjoy!!
Easy Chicken and Couscous Skillet Dinner
Yield: 4 Servings.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups diced onion
- 2 cups diced carrots
- 2 cups diced celery
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 1/3 cups Israeli (Pearl) Couscous
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 12 oz (about 3 cups) chopped chicken
Directions:
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, season with salt and pepper, and saute for 5-10 minutes until softened and caramelized.
- Add garlic and stir to combine until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add couscous and broth, stir to combine, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 8-10 minutes until broth is absorbed.
- Add chicken and stir until heated through. Enjoy!