One-Pan Pearl Couscous (Moghrabiyeh) with Roasted Chicken & Lemony Fennel Slaw

This is definitely not traditional moghrabiyeh, but it’s my take on the Lebanese dish and honestly such a good one-pan dinner. The pearl couscous is toasted and cooked in the same pan as the chicken with shallots, garlic, warm spices, harissa and loomi (dried lime), so it picks up all of that flavor as it cooks. The crispy chicken thighs go back on top before everything finishes together in the oven, then it’s served with a fresh lemony fennel slaw for some crunch and acidity. It’s warm, comforting and full of flavor, but still feels fresh because of the slaw.

makes about 3 servings

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:

• 3 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs

• 1 tsp fine salt (5g)

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tsp paprika

• 1 tbsp olive oil (15g)

For the Pearl Couscous:

• 2 shallots, finely chopped (about 80g)

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 1 dried black lime (loomi)

• 1 tsp tomato paste (5g), optional

• 1 tbsp harissa (15g), optional

• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (15g) or vinegar (I used a sweet vinegar since it compliments the dish), for deglazing

• 1 cup pearl couscous (about 170g)

• 2 cups of chicken broth (480g)

• 1/2 tsp fine salt (3g)

• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

For the Lemony Fennel Slaw:

• 1 medium fennel bulb (about 250g)

• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (30g)

• 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest

• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar (15g)

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (30g)

• 2 tsp honey (14g)

• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated

• 1/4 tsp chilli flakes

• 1/4 tsp fine salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Sear the Chicken

1. Preheat your oven to 175°C. You’ll need a large oven-safe pan for this recipe since everything starts on the stovetop and finishes together in the oven.

2. Prepare the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs really well with paper towels, especially the skin. Getting rid of as much surface moisture as possible will help the skin get nice and crispy when you sear it.

3. Season the chicken. Season both sides of the chicken thighs evenly with the 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp paprika.

4. Sear the chicken. Add the olive oil to a large oven-safe pan and place it over medium to medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chicken thighs skin-side down. Let them cook without moving them around too much for about 5–7 minutes, or until the skin is deeply golden and crispy.

5. Sear the other side. Flip the chicken thighs and cook for another 2–3 minutes. You’re not trying to cook the chicken completely at this point since it will finish in the oven. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Keep all of the rendered chicken fat and browned bits in the pan since that’s where a lot of the flavor for the couscous will come from.

Cook the Pearl Couscous

6. Cook the shallots in the same pan. Reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped shallots directly to the chicken fat left in the pan. Cook for about 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to turn lightly golden.

7. Add the garlic and aromatics. Add the chopped garlic, bay leaf, cinnamon stick and dried black lime (loomi) to the same pan. Gently pierce the loomi once or twice with the tip of a sharp knife before adding it. This helps release its slightly smoky, citrusy flavor as everything cooks. Cook for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, stirring frequently, until fragrant.

8. Add the tomato paste and/or harissa. Add the tomato paste, harissa, or both depending on what you have and the flavor you want. I like using both since the tomato paste adds a little richness while the harissa adds some heat and depth. Stir and cook for about 1–2 minutes, until slightly darkened and starting to stick to the bottom of the pan.

9. Deglaze the pan. Pour in the fresh lemon juice or agrodolce bianco. It should sizzle when it hits the pan. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up all of the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Don’t skip this part since those bits have so much flavor from searing the chicken.

10. Toast the pearl couscous. Add the pearl couscous directly to the pan and stir really well so all of the pearls are coated in the shallots, garlic, spices and tomato paste or harissa mixture. Toast for about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the couscous starts to turn lightly golden in places.

11. Add the broth. Pour in the 2 cups of chicken broth, then add the 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Stir everything together, scraping the bottom of the pan once more, then bring to a gentle simmer.

12. Partially cook the couscous. Let it simmer uncovered for about 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick to the bottom. You want roughly half of the liquid to be absorbed. The couscous should still be firm and there should still be a good amount of liquid in the pan since it will continue cooking in the oven.

Finish Everything in the Oven

13. Add the chicken back in. Place the seared chicken thighs on top of the partially cooked couscous with the crispy skin facing up. Nestle the bottoms of the thighs slightly into the couscous, but keep the skin above the liquid so it stays crispy.

14. Bake at 175°C for 30–35 minutes, or until the chicken is completely cooked through and the couscous is tender. Since bone-in chicken thighs can vary quite a bit in size, use the cooking time as a guide. The thickest part of the chicken should reach at least 74°C, making sure your thermometer isn’t touching the bone.

15. Check the couscous. By the end, the couscous should be tender and have absorbed most of the cooking liquid, but it shouldn’t be completely dry. If the couscous is still a little firm and the pan has dried out, pour about 1/4 cup (60ml) hot broth around the chicken and return it to the oven for another 5 minutes.

16. Let everything rest. Remove the pan from the oven and let it sit for about 5 minutes before serving. This gives the couscous time to absorb any remaining juices. Remove and discard the bay leaf, cinnamon stick and loomi before serving.

Make the Lemony Fennel Slaw

17. Slice the fennel. Trim the fennel bulb and slice it as thinly as possible. A mandoline works really well here, but a sharp knife works too. The thinner the fennel, the lighter and crunchier the slaw will be.

18. Make the dressing. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, honey, grated garlic, chilli flakes, salt and a few cracks of black pepper to a small bowl. Whisk really well until combined.

19. Taste and adjust. The dressing should be bright and acidic with a little sweetness from the honey and some heat from the chilli. If your lemons are particularly sour, add another 1/2 tsp honey. If you want it sharper, add another squeeze of lemon or a small splash of vinegar.

20. Dress the fennel. Add the thinly sliced fennel to a bowl and pour the dressing over the top. Toss really well until all of the fennel is lightly coated.

21. Let the slaw sit for 5–10 minutes before serving. This gives the dressing enough time to slightly soften the fennel while still keeping plenty of crunch.

Serve

22. Serve everything while it’s warm. Spoon the pearl couscous onto each plate, making sure to get plenty of the shallots and all those juices from the bottom of the pan. Top with a crispy chicken thigh and serve with plenty of the lemony fennel slaw alongside.

23. Bon Appétit!