Couscous salad with chicken
Banish boring lunch box blues for school and the office with Julie Goodwin’s filling and healthy sandwich-free options.
Couscous salad with chicken
SERVES 4 TO 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 25 MINUTES
4 (800g) chicken thigh fillets, cut into strips olive oil spray
¼ cup (35g) currants
1½ cups (375ml) water
1 cup (200g) couscous
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium (150g) brown onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 medium (240g) orange, segmented
½ cup (125ml) orange juice
½ bunch coriander, leaves torn
½ bunch mint, chopped
1 pomegranate, seeds removed, optional
1 Heat a grill pan, barbecue or frying pan over a fairly high heat. Thread the chicken onto 12 skewers; spray with oil. Cook skewers for 3 minutes each side or until chicken is cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate; season with salt.
2 Soak currants in enough boiling water to cover until they are plump.
3 Bring the 1½ cups water to the boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat and add the couscous. Stir, then cover and stand for 5 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
4 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Cook onion, stirring, for 3 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, cumin and rind; cook for 1 minute. Stir in the sugar.
5 Add onion mixture to the couscous. Stir orange segments through the couscous along with the drained currants and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in herbs. Drizzle with a little extra oil and scatter with pomegranate seeds.
6 Divide the couscous between lunch boxes; top with chicken. If serving in a child’s lunch box, remove the skewers. Not suitable to freeze or microwave.