One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Couscous (Printable Version)

Seared chicken in garlic butter served with fluffy couscous that soaks up savory pan juices. Ready in 35 minutes.

# The Ingredients You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon paprika
05 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

→ Garlic Butter

06 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced

→ Couscous

08 - 1.5 cups couscous
09 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 0.5 cup frozen peas
12 - 0.25 cup chopped fresh parsley
13 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# Step-by-Step Instructions:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika. Lightly dust with flour and shake off excess.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and sear until golden brown on both sides, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the pan, then stir in minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour chicken broth into the pan and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
05 - Stir in couscous, cherry tomatoes, and peas. Return chicken breasts to the pan, nestling them into the couscous mixture.
06 - Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes until couscous is tender and chicken is cooked through.
07 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley over the dish.
08 - Fluff the couscous with a fork, slice the chicken if desired, and serve immediately.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, so cleanup is a five minute rinse instead of a pile of dishes.
  • The couscous absorbs every bit of garlicky, lemony pan juice and tastes like you simmered it all day.
  • You can have this on the table in half an hour without opening a single jar of sauce.
02 -
  • If you skip drying the chicken, it will not brown properly and you will end up with pale, sad looking meat.
  • Do not lift the lid too many times while the couscous cooks or it will turn out crunchy and underdone.
  • Add the lemon juice after you take the pan off the heat so it stays bright and does not cook into bitterness.
03 -
  • Use a deep skillet or saute pan so the couscous has room to expand without spilling over the sides.
  • If your chicken breasts are thick, pound them to an even thickness so they cook at the same rate as the couscous.
  • Taste the couscous before serving and add a pinch more salt or a squeeze of lemon if it needs brightening.
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