Garlic Chicken with Israeli CousCous "Casserole"

Hello All....I've been tardy in posting this because I'm trying to figure out how to add a tab at the end of my posts with the "printer friendly" version of my recipes but it is not as easy as I anticipated.  There are a few different ways of doing it so I'm in "research" mode....So, again, apologies!!


My mom made this recipe and I had some warmed up as leftovers and fell in love. It is very tasty and it's a CASSEROLE! I never like casseroles, so when I do stumble upon a good one, it tends to be a keeper.  This is going to seem like a lengthy meal and does have a few steps.  My suggestion is start it a day or two in advance or early in the day.  The chicken benefits from longer marinating time and you won't feel so bogged down by multiple steps.

A couple of notes before you start....be sure to have a LARGE saute pan to brown chicken or do it in batches.  My couscous is a lil' darker in color then it should be and this is because my chicken started to burn before it was sufficiently brown, therefore making my pan sauce darker. This will also allow your chicken to cook a bit longer in your pan and the cook time will not have to vary.

I did not take a million photo's with this dish...more because I was rushing through some of it and then I lost light....so maybe at a later date when I make again, i will update post with more photos....

Garlic Chicken with Israeli CousCous Casserole
Adapted from Anne Burrell on Food Network.

Chicken:

2 whole garlic bulbs
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 large bunch thyme, leaves only
1 tablespoon cumin
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 (4 to 5-pound) chicken, cut into 8 to 10 parts

CousCous:

Kosher salt
2 cups medium-size Israeli couscous
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
3 ribs celery, sliced thin
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
Large pinch saffron
2 zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 to 3 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
3 scallions, white and green, sliced thinly on the bias

Directions

Chicken:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Wrap Garlic in tin foil and  roast them until they are soft when squeezed, about 30 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let cool.

When the garlic bulbs are cool, slice the tops off and squeeze out the roasted garlic. Add the garlic to a food processor or a bowl, along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme, cumin, crushed red pepper and salt, to taste. Add a little olive oil and puree or mash into a loose paste. Massage the mixture all over the chicken pieces and let sit for at least 1 hour.

Couscous:
Bring a pot of well salted water to a boil, over medium heat. Add the couscous and cook it until it's about 2/3 of the way cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and reserve.

Trader Joe's "mixed couscous"

 
Coat a large saute pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and brown it on all sides. Remove it to a plate, drain the fat and add the onions and celery. Season with salt, to taste, and the crushed red pepper. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up all the crud on the bottom of the pan and cook the onions and celery for 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes. Add in the saffron, zucchini, cooked couscous, and chicken stock. Stir to combine, then taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Transfer the mix to an ovenproof dish. Nestle the chicken, skin side up, in the couscous and cover with foil. Add some more chicken stock to keep everything nice and moist. Sprinkle with pine nuts and cover with foil. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan.
Roast the chicken for 20 minutes, covered, then remove the foil and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes.(My chicken required longer cooking because of my "browning situation")
Remove the chicken from the oven CHECK TEMP OF CHICKEN and top with scallions before serving.

Enjoy!