This Chicken Couscous takes only one pan and is an easy, delicious dinner that you’re going to love for a quick dinner idea. This dish uses juicy chicken thighs with a lemony couscous and dressing, and is topped with fresh tomatoes and herbs for a pop of freshness. I love an easy one pan dish for quick clean-up and it tastes just as impressive as a dish that takes 100 dishes, and forever to make.

❤️ Why You’ll Love Chicken Couscous

• Easy: Did I mention this Chicken Couscous only takes one pan? One pan recipes are so easy and require minimal clean-up for those busy nights that you just don’t feel like spending in the kitchen.
• Delicious: This couscous recipe is popping with lemony flavor. You’re going to love that it’s fresh, savory, and it’s perfect for summer (or anytime).
• Versatile: Like any one pan dish, you can completely make this couscous your own by adding different dried or fresh herbs, veggies, or swapping the chicken thighs for your favorite protein.

🍲 Ingredients

Lemon – I think it’s critical to always have lemon on hand in your fridge. Not only do they last forever, but they are essential in so many recipes. You can use them in drinks and cocktails, use them in dressings, or marinades, and they add a brightness and freshness to whatever you’re making.

Couscous – Couscous is a staple in North African cuisines. It is made of tiny granules of semolina wheat and it’s a versatile ingredient to use in stews, or salads. You can also use it in any recipe that calls for a grain like quinoa or rice.

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👩‍🍳 How to Make Chicken Couscous

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.
3. Add the halved cherry tomatoes to a bowl with a pinch of salt and stir. Set aside.
4. Add the chicken thighs to a plate and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
5. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large high sided, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, turn to medium heat and add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Cook until deeply golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 4-5 minutes and then remove the chicken to a plate or bowl and set aside.
6. Turn the heat to medium and add the lemon juice to deglaze the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan.
7. Then, add the smashed garlic, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the couscous and stir well to coat with the oils in the pan, about 1-2 minutes.
8. Stir in the chicken stock paste and then the water. Turn the heat to medium-high to bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the chicken skin side up, nestled into the couscous and add any juices from the chicken plate / bowl back to the pan as well.
9. Cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil and transfer to the preheated oven and bake until cooked through to 165F, about 25-35 minutes.
10. Once the chicken is cooked through, remove from the oven and fluff the couscous a bit with a fork.
11. Serve topped with baby tomatoes and fresh parsley and drizzle with the dressing.

🗒 Tips and Tricks

• Making Couscous: Instead of plain water, use chicken, vegetable, or beef broth to infuse the couscous with deeper flavor.
• Toasting the Couscous: Toasting the dry couscous in a pan with a little olive oil before adding the liquid can add a nutty flavor.
• Browning the Chicken: You’ll notice in this Chicken Couscous recipe I brown the chicken in the pan before putting it in the pan to bake. This helps give your chicken a nice crisp on the outside, and helps hold in some of the moisture while it bakes. Definitely an essential step for the perfect chicken.

🗒 Variations

If you like this Chicken Couscous recipe, I have a feeling you’ll love some of these other delicious couscous recipes:

• Warm Couscous Salad
• Couscous Tabbouleh Salad
• One Pot Pearl Couscous & Shrimp

🗒 Best served with

• Fluffy Greek Pita Bread
• Tabbouleh Salad
• Italian Chopped Salad

👝 How to Store Leftovers

This dish is great leftover. Store it in an airtight container once it has cooled down for up to 4 days. This can be an easy meal prep recipe too!

🤔 Common Questions

One Pan Lemon Chicken Couscous

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This delicious Chicken Couscous is made in one pan. It uses fresh lemon juice and zest to give it a kick of freshness and it's so easy you're going to love adding it to your dinner rotation!

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 55 minutes mins

Course Main

Cuisine Greek-Inspired

Servings 4 -6

Calories 610 kcal

Ingredients

  

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For the dressing

• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
• 1 tbsp dijon or yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper

For the chicken and couscous

• 6 bone in skin on chicken thighs
• salt and pepper 
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 lemons juiced (about 5-6 tbsp)
• 8 garlic cloves, smashed 
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1 1/2 cups pearled (Israeli) couscous
• 1 tbsp chicken stock paste
• 2 3/4 cups water

Toppings

• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• kosher salt
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

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Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375F.
• Whisk together the dressing ingredients and set aside.
• Add the halved cherry tomatoes to a bowl with a pinch of salt and stir. Set aside.
• Add the chicken thighs to a plate and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large high sided, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, turn to medium heat and add the chicken thighs, skin side down. Cook until deeply golden brown, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and cook for another 4-5 minutes and then remove the chicken to a plate or bowl and set aside.
• Turn the heat to medium and add the lemon juice to deglaze the pan. Cook for 1-2 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan.
• Then, add the smashed garlic, salt, pepper and lemon zest. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the couscous and stir well to coat with the oils in the pan, about 1-2 minutes.
• Stir in the chicken stock paste and then the water. Turn the heat to medium-high to bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the chicken skin side up, nestled into the couscous and add any juices from the chicken plate / bowl back to the pan as well.
• Cover the skillet with a lid or aluminum foil and transfer to the preheated oven and bake until cooked through to 165F, about 25-35 minutes.
• Once the chicken is cooked through, remove from the oven and fluff the couscous a bit with a fork.
• Serve topped with baby tomatoes and fresh parsley and drizzle with the dressing.

Notes

• If you don’t have chicken stock paste, substitute the water with chicken broth
• This recipe is great for meal prep too!
• If you love this recipe, try our Oven Baked Chicken and Rice

Nutrition

Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 42.4g | Protein: 60.7g | Fat: 21.4g | Saturated Fat: 4.4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10.9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 258mg | Sodium: 1523.5mg | Fiber: 3.3g | Sugar: 3.1g

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