Couscous makes the perfect partner for this spice-blackened chicken. If you pop the chicken in the refrigerator to marinate before you go to work, it will be ready to cook as soon as you get home, and even more full of flavor from a longer time marinating. Toasting the couscous beforehand also adds to the nutty flavor.
Ingredients
- 4 skinless chicken breasts, lightly scored
- 1¾ cups Vegetable Broth
- 1 recipe quantity Mediterranean Vegetable Couscous
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Blackened Chicken Marinade
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- 1 teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
How to Make It
- Mix together all the marinade ingredients in a nonmetallic bowl, add the chicken and turn it so it is coated in the marinade. Cover and let marinate at least 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Heat the oven to 400°F. While the oven is heating up, soak the couscous.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade and put it into a roasting pan. Roast 15 to 20 minutes until blackened on the outside and the juices run clear when the thickest part of the chicken is pierced with the tip of a sharp knife.
- Let the chicken rest 2 minutes, then slice and serve on top of the couscous.
