The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)

This chicken and couscous dish is weeknight winner

- By America’s Test Kitchen

Bursting with the aromatic flavors of saffron, chorizo and garlic, this chicken and couscous dish is a winning weeknight dinner. When developing this recipe, we started with classic chicken and rice, but found that the rice was not cooking at the same rate as the chicken in the multicooke­rwe ended up with either stubbornly crunchy rice or egregiousl­y overcooked chicken.

Since tasters loved the Spanish flavor profile of the dish, we went in search of a different grain that would work in tandem with the chicken. A few tests revealed that couscous was the crowd favorite, and it couldn’t have been simpler: Couscous doesn’t require cooking at all, just soaking, which meant we could add it to the pot after pressure or slow cooking and allow it to simply absorb the ultraflavo­rful cooking liquid. If using the slow cook function, begin checking the chicken’s temperatur­e after 1 hour and continue to monitor until it is done. seeded, and chopped fine 4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, cut into 1⁄4 inch pieces

4 garlic cloves, minced 1⁄8 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled

1⁄2 cup chicken broth

1 1⁄2 cups couscous

1 cup frozen peas, thawed 2 teaspoons lemon juice 3 tablespoon­s minced fresh parsley

INSTRUCTIO­NS

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Using highest sauté or browning function, heat oil in multicooke­r for 5 minutes (or until just smoking.) Place half of chicken, skin side down, in multicooke­r and cook until browned, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining chicken; transfer to plate.

Add bell pepper, chorizo, and 1⁄4 teaspoon salt to fat left in multicooke­r and cook until bell pepper is softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and saffron and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle chicken, skin side up, into multicooke­r, adding any accumulate­d juices.

• To pressure cook: Lock lid in place and close pressure release valve. Select high pressure cook function and cook for 17 minutes. (If using Instant Pot, decrease cooking time to 9 minutes.) Turn off multicooke­r and quickrelea­se pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. • To slow cook: Lock lid in place and open pressure release valve. Select low slow cook function and cook until chicken registers

 ?? JOE KELLER — AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN VIA AP ?? 2 scallions, sliced thin 2 tablespoon­s minced fresh chives Breakfast pizza.
11 to 12 minutes for softcooked yolks, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer pan to wire rack and let pizza cool for 5 minutes. Transfer pizza to cutting board. Sprinkle with scallions and chives and * Chorizo and Manchego Breakfast Pizza: Substitute 6 ounces chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1⁄2-inch slices, for bacon and 1 cup shredded Manchego cheese for Parmesan. Cook chorizo in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool completely before proceeding. Nutrition informatio­n per serving: 492 calories; 250 calories from fat; 28 g fat (10 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 248 mg cholestero­l; 1190 mg sodium; 36 g carbohydra­te; 2 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 26 g protein.
JOE KELLER — AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN VIA AP 2 scallions, sliced thin 2 tablespoon­s minced fresh chives Breakfast pizza. 11 to 12 minutes for softcooked yolks, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer pan to wire rack and let pizza cool for 5 minutes. Transfer pizza to cutting board. Sprinkle with scallions and chives and * Chorizo and Manchego Breakfast Pizza: Substitute 6 ounces chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1⁄2-inch slices, for bacon and 1 cup shredded Manchego cheese for Parmesan. Cook chorizo in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until lightly browned, 7 to 9 minutes. Let cool completely before proceeding. Nutrition informatio­n per serving: 492 calories; 250 calories from fat; 28 g fat (10 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 248 mg cholestero­l; 1190 mg sodium; 36 g carbohydra­te; 2 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 26 g protein.
 ?? CARL TREMBLAY — AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN VIA AP ?? Spanish-style Chicken and Couscous.
160 F, 1 to 2 hours. (If using Instant Pot, select high slow cook function.) Turn off multicooke­r and carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Transfer chicken to serving
dish and discard skin, if desired. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest while preparing -couscous.
Stir couscous, peas, and lemon juice into multicooke­r, cover, and let sit until couscous is tender, about 5 minutes. Add parsley and fluff couscous gently with fork to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with chicken. Nutrition informatio­n per serving: 597 calories; 165 calories from fat; 18 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 111 mg cholestero­l; 596 mg sodium; 60 g carbohydra­te; 6 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 45 g protein.
CARL TREMBLAY — AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN VIA AP Spanish-style Chicken and Couscous. 160 F, 1 to 2 hours. (If using Instant Pot, select high slow cook function.) Turn off multicooke­r and carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Transfer chicken to serving dish and discard skin, if desired. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest while preparing -couscous. Stir couscous, peas, and lemon juice into multicooke­r, cover, and let sit until couscous is tender, about 5 minutes. Add parsley and fluff couscous gently with fork to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with chicken. Nutrition informatio­n per serving: 597 calories; 165 calories from fat; 18 g fat (5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 111 mg cholestero­l; 596 mg sodium; 60 g carbohydra­te; 6 g fiber; 4 g sugar; 45 g protein.

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