Simple Chicken with Spiced Couscous & Carrots One-Pot Recipe for Dinner
This one-pot recipe combines spiced couscous, carrots, and chickpeas for a savory, North African-inspired dish. With harissa providing a bold backbone of flavor, this meal is both quick and deeply satisfying, perfect for weeknight dinners.
Equipment
- 12-inch ovensafe skillet with a tight-fitting lid
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Vegetables:
- 8 5–7-ounce bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
- 1 ½ teaspoons table salt divided
- 1 teaspoon pepper divided
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 pound carrots peeled and cut into 2-inch lengths (thin pieces halved, thick pieces quartered lengthwise)
- 1 onion chopped
For the Couscous and Chickpeas:
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tablespoons harissa plus extra for serving
- 1 cup couscous
Finishing:
- ⅓ cup minced fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
Prepare Chicken:
- Preheat oven to 450°F.
- Pat chicken dry and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Heat oil in the skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Sear chicken skin side down until well browned (about 5 minutes). Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a plate.
Cook Vegetables:
- Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet.
- Add carrots, onion, 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook over medium heat until onion is softened, about 5 minutes.
Add Chickpeas and Harissa:
- Stir in chickpeas, water, and harissa, scraping up browned bits, and bring to a boil.
Cook Couscous and Finish:
- Stir in couscous, scraping any that sticks to the skillet.
- Nestle chicken, skin side up, into the skillet, along with any accumulated juices. Cover, transfer to oven, and bake until chicken reaches 175°F (about 15–20 minutes).
Serve:
- Remove skillet from oven and transfer chicken to a serving platter. Add parsley and lemon juice to couscous mixture, fluff with a fork to combine, and season to taste.
- Serve with extra harissa on the side.
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