Sherry & Tarragon Chicken with Pearl Couscous

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 large chicken breasts, halved on the diagonal Olive oil

2 banana shallots, cut into eighths

5 tbsp sherry

5 tbsp dry white wine small bunch of tarragon, leaves picked 300ml chicken stock

200g giant couscous

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To garnish

½ small bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley, leaves picked 50g pine nuts, toasted

Method

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF), Gas Mark 6. Season the halved chicken breasts with a little pepper. Heat a good glug of olive oil in a large frying pan, then add the chicken pieces and cook over a medium heat for 2 mins or so until the undersides are light golden in colour.

Turn over the chicken pieces and cook for a further 2–3 mins. Transfer the chicken to a deep ovenproof dish and set aside. Reduce the heat under the frying pan to medium-low, then add the shallots and cook for a few minutes until lightly coloured. Spoon the shallots over the chicken in the ovenproof dish. Add the sherry, white wine and tarragon to the frying pan, then increase the heat and boil for 2-3 mins to reduce the liquids. Add the stock and continue to boil for a few mins. Pour one third of the sauce on top of the chicken in the ovenproof dish or enough so that both the meat and the shallots are submerged in the golden liquid. Transfer the dish to the oven and cook for 15-20 mins or until the chicken is cooked through. While the chicken is cooking, make the couscous. Add the grains to the frying pan with the remaining sauce and bring to the boil. Cook for about 15 mins, stirring regularly and watching the grains don’t overcook. You may need to add a little boiling water if the liquid dries up towards the end of the cooking time.

Once everything is cooked, add the chicken, tarragon, shallots and any juices in the dish to the cooked couscous in the frying pan and stir to combine. Season to taste.

Serve directly from the pan, scattered with the fresh parsley leaves and toasted pine nuts.