Moroccan Spice Skillet
June 27, 2024
Do you have certain meals you dream about? Meals where everything is just right — memorable flavors, perfectly balanced textures, easy prep and cleanup? Meals where every bite is a little bit of heaven?
We have one of those meals, and it’s our Moroccan Spice Skillet Chicken. It’s a one-pan dinner with a perfect combination of juicy chicken, charred shallot and chewy pearl couscous. It’s bursting with rich umami flavor and light floral notes, thanks to L&B Mediterranean Seasoning, with its sea salt, lemon zest, tarragon, chervil, chives, parsley and lavender.
For all the flavor and texture in this dish, prep is a breeze: Season the chicken and cook it on the stovetop until it’s golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes. As the chicken fat renders, it fries up the citrus, lavender and herbs — and the pan drippings take on the flavor of the seasoning. Then add shallots and couscous to the pan and let them cook for 20 minutes to soak up the bright, brilliant flavor of the fried spices.
We dressed the chicken and couscous with a halloumi cheese salad that, frankly, we can’t stop thinking about. With shallot rings and whole lemon pieces mellowed out with salty halloumi, spicy crushed red pepper, toasty walnuts and a dash of olive oil, the salad is fresh and juicy — and it makes a perfect complement to the golden brown chicken.
This dish is perfect for a weeknight meal (thank you, easy prep), yet elegant enough for a special occasion. In other words, make it any time the urge strikes, which, we predict, will be often. It’s that good.
SERVINGS
4
PREP TIME
15 min
COOK TIME
45 min
Ingredients
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2lemons, divided
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4ounces halloumi or feta cheese, roughly chopped
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6shallots, peeled, 1 thinly sliced into rings, the remaining 5 quartered lengthwise
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1/4teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
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2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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1/4cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
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4bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
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1tablespoon L&B Mediterranean Seasoning
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2tablespoons grapeseed oil
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1 1/2cups pearl couscous
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4fresh oregano sprigs
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1/2cup fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, for garnish
Directions
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1
Zest 1 lemon into a small bowl. Slice off the top and bottom of the zested lemon and place the lemon upright on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice off the white pith by moving down the length of the lemon in sections. Discard the pith and roughly chop the flesh, removing any seeds you come across. Transfer the chopped lemon (about 2 tablespoons) and any juice to the bowl.
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2
Stir in the cheese, sliced shallot rings, crushed red pepper, olive oil and chopped walnuts. Let marinate in the refrigerator as you cook the chicken.
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3
Pat the chicken pieces dry and season the skin with the L&B Mediterranean Seasoning.
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4
Heat the grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place the chicken pieces skin-side down and cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat as needed to prevent the spices from burning. Flip the chicken pieces and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
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5
Add the quartered shallots to the pan, and stir to coat the shallots in the pan drippings and fried spices. Lower the heat to medium and cook until golden brown and just tender, about 4 minutes. Add the couscous, and stir to coat the pearls in the fat. Add the broth, stir and bring up to a simmer.
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6
Return the chicken to the skillet, skin-side up. Add the oregano sprigs, cover with a lid and cook until the liquid is absorbed, the couscous is tender and the chicken is cooked through, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, discard the oregano sprigs and fluff the couscous.
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7
Top with the halloumi-walnut mixture and squeeze the juice of the remaining lemon over the entire pan. Garnish with the fresh parsley and serve.