One Pot Chicken Casserole With Couscous and Olives
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 25 g butter
- 800 g chicken thighs and/or drumsticks, free range, approx 8 pieces
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic finely sliced
- pinch saffron threads generous!
- 15 apricots soft dried and cut into strips
- 1 lemon unwaxed and sliced in thick half moons, pips removed
- 1/2 tsp ground tumeric
- 15 olives pitted - I used big green ones
- 300 g shallots peeled but left whole
- 200 g carrots I used Chantenay carrots, left whole
- 600 ml chicken stock
- 300 g dried couscous
- 1 tbsp fresh coriander chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190c / gas 5. Meanwhile melt the butter over a medium heat in a deep non stick casserole. When melted, fry the chicken portions for 7-8 minutes on each side adding the finely chopped garlic and ginger at the same time.
- When the chicken has had chance to brown on both sides, add also the saffron, apricot, lemon slices, tumeric, olives, shallots and carrots. Pour over the stock and place the casserole in the oven for 45 minutes.
- Using oven gloves, remove the casserole from the oven and take off the lid. Using tongs pick out the cooked chicken portions and place aside on a plate.
- Push the cooked vegetables to one side and pour the dried couscous into the well of liquid. Stir the couscous in so it is all submerged, pop the chicken portions back on top then replace the lid immediately. Leave the casserole on a heatproof surface for five minutes for the cous cous to steam.
- When the couscous has absorbed, use a fork to break it up a little and serve onto plates with a scattering of chopped coriander.