Chicken with Couscous and Spinach with Roasted Asparagus

This was a great dinner! My good friend, Josceline, gave me a Cook's Illustrated & The America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook (they are friends of hers!) and I have not yet found one recipe that I don't like! I highly recommend getting one (or all!) of their cookbooks. This one is from "Cooking for Two 2009"

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup flour

2 (6-8 oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (I used chicken tenderloins)

Salt and Pepper

3 TBL Olive Oil

1 box of Couscous (I used roasted garlic and olive oil flavor)

1-2 green onions, minced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp grated zest and 2 TBL fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (more to taste!)

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

6 oz baby spinach (I bought bagged)

2 ounces feta or blue cheese crumbles

Pine Nuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Place the flour in a shallow dish. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and coat with salt and pepper. Working with one breast at a time, dredge the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat 1 TBL of the oil in a nonstick skillet over med-high heat until just smoking. Carefully lay the chicken breasts in the skillet and cook until well browned on the first side- 6-8 minutes. Flip the breasts, reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until the chicken is no longer pink inside (temperature of 160 degrees). Transfer the chicken into a baking pan, tent loosely with foil and let rest in the warm oven while preparing the couscous. 

Wipe out the skillet with paper towels and add 1 TBL more oil and the couscous to the skillet (note- the directions on the box might say otherwise, but follow these!). Toast the couscous over medium heat until lightly browned. Add in the green onion, 2 tsp of the garlic, 1/4 tsp of the lemon zest, 1/8 tsp of the pepper flakes, and seasoning packet and cook until fragrant.

Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer- then reduce to med-low heat and cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is al dente, 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk 1 TBL of lemon juice, remaining 1 TBL oil, remaining 1 tsp garlic, remaining 1/4 tsp lemon zest, remaining 1/8 tsp pepper flakes together in a small bowl. Set aside.

Stir the spinach, one handful at a time, into the skillet and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Off the heat, stir in the feta/blue cheese and season with salt/pepper. Divide the couscous between two plates and top with the chicken. Drizzle with the lemon mixture and serve.

I made roasted asparagus for my side dish- roasted zucchini or yellow squash would be yummy, too!

Roasted Asparagus

INGREDIENTS:

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

1 bunch of Asparagus

Pine Nuts or Almond Slivers (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. Break off tough ends of asparagus, rinse and lay flat on a cookie sheet. Drizzle or brush olive oil onto the asparagus and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle nuts on top if you are using them. Bake for 8-10 minutes (depending on how crunchy/soft you want your asparagus) and enjoy!