Simple dish, simply tasty

These days I’ve been getting into the kitchen a lot and I seem to be loving it more and more. The more dishes I cook, the more knowledge I acquire. So for the amateur cooks out there, I’m with ya! I’m learning as I go, too!

Last night I made Chicken Couscous Salad. It’s a really simple dish using simple ingredients and it’s healthy to boot. Plus, I needed to make something so I could bring it to work for lunch (don’t you hate it when you forget to pack your lunch and you have to go out and buy it instead?). And personally, couscous is one of the best things ever invented! It’s so convenient, very easy to make, versatile and so so underrated.

The dish turned out to be very tasty but I wished I had made more of the chilli lime sauce, there was just not enough – it was awesome! It worked so well with the dish. Citrus juice with couscous is a perfect marriage and the sauce really moistened and flavoured what otherwise would have been bland pieces of chicken.

The chicken turned out really well (see ‘My Tips and Recommendations’ below). Following the instructions to a tee, I was able to produce moist, pink in the inside and golden on the outside chicken breasts. Some critiques? Although the recipe says 4 pieces of chicken, I think this is too much considering it’s supposed to serve 4. What you end up with is a whole lot of chicken and not much couscous. Also, you’ll notice in the photos I didn’t use tomatoes. I actually have mild allergies towards them so I just left them out.

So you want to create a simple and healthy dish? I recommend this recipe. It may not be gourmet quality, but it’s a start. All I know is that I love to cook and I hope to just keep getting better and better.

Watch this space, y’all.

See the recipe below:

Ingredients:
4 skinless chicken breasts
olive oil cooking spray
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
1 zucchini, sliced diagonally
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 4
1 1/2 cups couscous
1 1/2 cups salt-reduced chicken stock, boiling
3 tablespoons sweet chilli sauce
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 180˚C. Line 2 baking trays with wax paper. Heat non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Spray chicken with oil, cook for 2 minutes on each side and season with salt and pepper. Place onto baking tray. Place vegetables onto other baking tray. Spray with oil and season. Cover with foil.

2. Bake chicken and vegetables for 10 minutes. Remove chicken, cover and stand for 10 minutes. Increase oven to 220˚C, bake vegetables uncovered for a further 10 minutes.

3. Place couscous in heat-proof bowl. Pour over boiling stock, cover and stand for 3 minutes. Separate grains with a fork. Whisk sweet chilli sauce, lime juice and salt and pepper together.

4. Toss vegetables through couscous. Spoon onto serving plates. Slice chicken on top of couscous. Drizzle with chilli lime mixture.

My Tips and Recommendations:
• You want to sear the chicken on both sides just enough so it’s still pink in the middle. If you cook the chicken all the way through, you will overcook it in the oven.
• To cook perfect couscous always know the golden rule is to have equal parts liquid and couscous.

 

Chicken Couscous Salad

Recipe courtesy of Taste.com.au. To view this recipe, click here.