Recipe
Pomegranate Chicken with Almond Couscous
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 45 min
Serves: 6
This Middle Eastern-inspired dish is filled with mouthwatering flavour and texture. Crunchy almonds and hearty couscous contrast beautifully with the sticky-sweet pomegranate glaze.
Contributed By: Developed for CFC by Nancy Guppy, RD, MHSc
Ingredients
4
skinless chicken legs, about 2 lb / 1 kg
1 cup (250 mL)
pomegranate juice
1/2 cup (125 mL)
orange juice
1 tbsp (15 mL)
honey
4
cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp (1.25 mL)
cinnamon, ground
1/4 tsp (1.25 mL)
cumin, ground
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL)
cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp (0.5 mL)
allspice, ground
1 tbsp (15 mL)
olive oil
1/4 tsp (1.25 mL)
salt
2
green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup (250 mL)
whole grain couscous
1 cup (250 mL)
water, boiling
3 tbsp (45 mL)
almonds, sliced
1
pomegranate
Instructions
1
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2
Mix pomegranate juice, orange juice, honey, minced garlic, cinnamon, cumin, cayenne and allspice together.
3
Separate chicken legs at the joint with a sharp knife. Place chicken in a resealable plastic bag. Pour marinade over chicken, seal and use hands to move the marinade and chicken around to coat all the chicken pieces. Marinate in the refrigerator overnight or for a minimum of 4 hours.
4
Remove chicken pieces and pour marinade into a small pot. Boil vigorously for 30 to 45 minutes or until the sauce is reduced by half. Set aside.
5
Heat 1 Tbsp (15 mL) olive oil over medium-high heat in pan. Add chicken and cook until golden brown – about 10 minutes per side finishing with fleshy side up. Move to oven and roast for 30 to 45 minutes. Brush chicken with glaze about every 10 minutes.
6
Add whole grain couscous, salt and sliced green onions to a small pot. Pour in boiling water, stir, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Fluff up couscous with a fork and stir in half of the sliced almonds.
7
Remove seeds from pomegranate.
8
Serve chicken with couscous. Drizzle reserved sauce over chicken pieces and sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and remaining sliced almonds.