Recently I received a jar of the most delicious spicy red pepper sauce called Harissa from a friend who has been living in Morocco. This Northern African sauce smells amazing and is spicy without lacking delicious flavor. It’s the perfect base for this baked chicken dish with roasted tomatoes and Frescatrano olives that you pour over a bowl of pearled olive oil couscous. This dish is layered with so many flavors that really complement each other to make a delicious, warm dinner. So, if you are feeling a little adventurous and want to try something new, I highly recommend picking up a jar of Harissa. There are lots of other fun ideas for how to use it ranging from roasting vegetables with it to making a spicy pasta dish. The good news is too it can be found at most grocery stores.
Harissa Chicken with Pearled Couscous
Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2-3 Tbsp Harissa
- 2 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 lb. chicken breasts
- 10 large cherry tomatoes try and find the ones still on the vine
- 3/4 cup pitted green olives Recommend Frescatrano olives
- fresh cilantro for garnish
- 1 box Olive oil pearled couscous
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Place an oven safe pot or skillet over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute until garlic is soft and fragrant. Add the harissa and tomato paste. If you want a pretty spicy sauce do 3 Tbs of Harissa, but if you prefer more of a milder sauce but still flavorful just do 2 Tbs. Stir until the tomato paste is melted and then add the chicken broth and lemon juice.
- Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and add to the sauce. Stir so that the chicken is all coated in the sauce. Add the tomatoes to the sauce so that they are evenly spaced out and nestled between the pieces of chicken. Place the skillet/pot into the oven and bake uncovered for 25 minutes.
- Cook the couscous on the stovetop according to the package directions while the chicken is baking.
- With 5 minutes left on the chicken add the green olives and gently stir. When done remove from oven and place a large spoonful of couscous in the bottom of a bowl. Top with the chicken, tomatoes, olives and extra sauce. Garnish with a little cilantro and enjpy.
