Description
Honey balsamic chicken with pistachio couscous brings together tangy-sweet glazed chicken breasts with nutty couscous that gives your dinner table something special. Ground pistachios mixed into the couscous add crunch and flavor while the sticky glaze keeps your chicken moist and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
Cooking Base:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Sauce and Seasonings:
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Couscous and Sides:
- 1 cup couscous
- 1.25 cups chicken broth or water
- 1/4 cup shelled pistachios, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Combine 2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp balsamic glaze, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp paprika, and salt and pepper in a bowl, then add your 2 large chicken breasts cut into bite-size pieces and coat them thoroughly.
- Let your chicken marinate in the mixture for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature so the flavors can sink in.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with no additional oil since your chicken already has plenty from the marinade.
- Place your marinated chicken pieces into the hot skillet and cook them for 6 to 8 minutes at 350°F until they turn golden brown and cook all the way through.
- Bring 1 1/4 cups of chicken broth or water to a boil in a separate pot over medium-high heat.
- Pour your 1 cup of couscous into the boiling liquid, give it a quick stir, then cover the pot and remove it from heat.
- Allow your couscous to sit covered for 5 minutes so it absorbs all the liquid and becomes tender.
- Use a fork to fluff up your couscous, then fold in 1/4 cup chopped pistachios, 2 tbsp fresh parsley, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt to taste.
- Distribute your couscous onto serving plates and arrange your cooked chicken on top, then spoon any extra glaze from the skillet over everything.
Notes
- Marinating the chicken for the full 30 minutes gives the flavors time to really sink in, but even 20 minutes works if your schedule is tight.
- Don’t skip browning the chicken properly – that golden crust on each piece locks in the moisture and creates better flavor than cooking it through without getting color first.
- For a vegetarian version, swap the chicken for thick slices of halloumi cheese or hearty vegetables like zucchini and bell peppers, keeping the same marinade and cooking time adjusted based on what you’re using.
- If your couscous tastes bland after fluffing, a pinch of salt or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice fixes it right away, so taste it before serving and adjust seasonings to your preference.
- Prep Time: 25-35 minutes
- Cook Time: 11-13 minutes
- Category: Sautéed Chicken
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2
- Calories: 620 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 500 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg