Easy Chicken & Couscous Skillet Dinner | Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipe (2024)

This Easy Chicken & Couscous Skillet Dinner is the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight. Made in less than 30 minutes, it’s a healthy and yummy family dinner recipe!

Easy Chicken & 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.

How to Make this Healthy Dinner

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!!

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Easy Chicken & Couscous Skillet Dinner | Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipe (16)

Easy Chicken & Couscous Skillet Dinner

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  • Easy Chicken & Couscous Skillet Dinner | Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipe (17) Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Easy Chicken & Couscous Skillet Dinner | Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipe (18) Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Easy Chicken & Couscous Skillet Dinner | Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipe (19) Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Easy Chicken & Couscous Skillet Dinner | Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipe (20) Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Easy Chicken & Couscous Skillet Dinner | Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipe (21) Category: Dinner
  • Easy Chicken & Couscous Skillet Dinner | Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipe (22) Method: Stove
  • Easy Chicken & Couscous Skillet Dinner | Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipe (23) Cuisine: Maghrebi

Description

This Easy Chicken & Couscous Skillet Dinner is the perfect recipe for a busy weeknight. Made in less than 30 minutes, it’s a healthy and yummy family dinner recipe!

Scale

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

Instructions

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Add chicken and stir until heated through. Enjoy!

More Easy One-Dish Dinners!

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Easy Chicken & Couscous Skillet Dinner | Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What meat goes well with couscous? ›

The best dishes to serve with couscous are beef and broccoli, glazed salmon, haddock, orange chicken, tofu curry, Zuppa Toscana, smoked meatloaf, lamb stew, Cola chicken, salsa chicken, garlic tofu, beef kebabs, chickpea stew, roasted vegetables, butternut squash and kale, shakshuka, Moroccan cauliflower, chickpea ...

What can I add to couscous? ›

Add some spices and herbs for flavor. You can absolutely serve your couscous plain at this point. Or, feel free to add a little seasoning of your choice and some fresh herbs. I added a pinch of ground cumin, chopped parsley, dill, and green onions.

What is couscous made of? ›

What is couscous? Although couscous looks like a grain, it's technically a pasta – it's made with semolina flour from durum wheat, mixed with water.

How much couscous per person? ›

Allow around 60g of dried couscous per person, which is combined with 90ml of boiled water (using the ratio of 1:1 1/2). Simply pour the hot water onto the couscous, cover and leave for 10 minutes while the couscous absorbs the water.

Is couscous healthier than pasta? ›

Couscous is often considered a healthy alternative to pasta since it's made from whole-wheat flour. Other types of pasta are typically more refined. Properly cooked, couscous is light and fluffy. What's more, it tends to take on the flavor of other ingredients, making it very versatile.

Is couscous healthy than rice? ›

Couscous is packed with nutrients and has better selenium per serving than white rice when it comes to selenium and other elements. It is light and filling, making it a good choice for busy professionals, families and people who don't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen to prepare a healthy, delicious meal.

Which is better couscous or quinoa? ›

Compared to couscous, quinoa has stronger anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. With 7 percent fewer calories per 100 grams of cooked couscous than quinoa, it is healthier for weight loss. Every 100 grams of cooked quinoa has 120 calories. Every 100 grams of cooked couscous has 112 calories.

Is couscous more like pasta or rice? ›

Couscous is a type of pasta that's made from semolina wheat flour and water. The subtle nutty flavor of couscous makes it a versatile ingredient that can be combined with fruits, vegetables and meats to create an excellent main or side dish. One of the most noteworthy aspects of couscous is its speedy cooking time.

Should you wash couscous before cooking? ›

There's no need to wash or rinse the couscous before cooking it as it doesn't contain starch. The butter/oil is optional, but it will help the grains to separate so it's recommended. Add the couscous to boiling water, and then take it off of the heat to avoid it overcooking.

Is couscous an anti inflammatory? ›

Rich in selenium – One cup of couscous will provide about 60 percent of the selenium you need per day to stay healthy. This powerful antioxidant helps to reduce inflammation and repair cells that may be damaged.

What is couscous made from chicken? ›

Made with chicken breast (or thighs, or even leftover chicken!) and diced veggies of your choice, it's an impressive meal that takes just minutes to make once all the ingredients are prepped. The chicken is moist and tender, the couscous is light yet satisfying, and the veggies add color, flavor, and texture.

What is the healthiest couscous? ›

Whole wheat couscous is more nutritious that the regular variety. It's made from whole wheat durum flour. It contains 5 to 6 grams of fiber per serving, which can help you meet the recommended daily amount of fiber. Couscous has a mild flavor which makes it extremely versatile.

Can you eat too much couscous? ›

However, if you consume too many calories from any type of food, including couscous, it can lead to weight gain. It's important to consider portion sizes and to balance your couscous with other healthy foods, such as vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats.

Is couscous a grain or a pasta? ›

While many believe that it is a type of grain, such as rice or barley, it is actually a type of pasta. (Hint: some grocery stores may stock couscous in the pasta section, but most will often stock it in the grain section, next to the rice). Couscous is pasta made from semolina flour mixed with water.

How much does 1 cup of couscous make? ›

The proportions for cooking couscous are generally 1:1.

A little less water makes drier couscous, good for salads or serving with sauces. A little more water makes softer and slightly sticky couscous. One cup of dried couscous makes about four cups of cooked couscous.

Is couscous closer to rice or pasta? ›

While many believe that it is a type of grain, such as rice or barley, it is actually a type of pasta. (Hint: some grocery stores may stock couscous in the pasta section, but most will often stock it in the grain section, next to the rice). Couscous is pasta made from semolina flour mixed with water.

When should I eat couscous? ›

Couscous is also a celebratory dish eaten at weddings, funerals or the end of festivals or holidays like Ramadan. Traditionally, Dadas, the hidden faces of Morocco, were responsible for making the best couscous.

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