Tender chicken fillets covered in a creamy garlic sauce that’s served on a bed of fluffy couscous, mash or any other simple staple. I went for couscous for the recipe below. It’s paired with pan-roasted broccoli and a fresh red onion, tomato, and coriander salsa – what’s not to love, right? Also, the salsa brightens up this dish beautifully and brings harmony among all the different flavors and textures. It’s such a simple but satisfying meal that will easily become a family favorite from the get-go.
Ingredients
- 1 cup raw couscous
- 4 chicken fillets butterflied
- 5 tbsp olive oil separated
- 1 tbsp salted butter
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 2 medium chilies diced
- 6-8 garlic cloves finely diced
- 3-4 tsp chicken stock granules
- 3 tsp dried thyme
- Juice 1 large lemon separated>
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 head of broccoli
- 1 large ripe tomato diced
- 1 small red onion diced
- ¼ cup fresh coriander chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Garnish with fresh parsley and grated parmesan *optional*
Instructions
- Butterfly the chicken fillets so they'll cook evenly. Generously sprinkle both sides of the chicken fillets with salt and pepper and allow it to air dry for 5mins while your pan is heating up.
- Add 2 tbsps olive oil and 1 tbsp butter to the heated medium-sized saucepan and sear the fillets on medium-high heat. Allow the chicken to become golden brown on one side before turning. Set aside until you're ready to use them.
- Add the diced onion, chili, and garlic to the same pan and sauté until the onion starts to brown.
- In the meantime, start preparing your broccoli. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium-high then add the broccoli florets in an even layer. Don't stir for about two minutes until they get lightly browned. Add 1/2 cup water, 1 tbsp olive oil, and 1 tsp salt, and cover the pan with a lid, cooking for 5 minutes. Uncover and allow the remaining water to evaporate and cook until the desired doneness.
- Add 1/2 a cup of warm water to the pan to deglaze (you may add the liquid from the rested chicken fillets to the pan if you'd like). Also add the chicken stock, dried thyme, and juice from 1/2 a lemon to the pan and simmer for 2 mins. Then add the cream and allow the sauce to reduce by 1/4. Add the whole chicken fillets to the sauce and turn off the heat. Make sure your dish has been seasoned well.
- In the meantime, start preparing your couscous and salsa. Add 1 cup couscous to a medium-sized bowl and pour over 1 1/2 cups boiling water. cover and allow to steam for 5mins. Then using a fork fluff up the couscous and add 1 tbsp olive oil and salt and mix. Cover again and set aside until you're ready to serve.
- For the salsa, dice the tomato and red onion into 1cm cubes and add to a medium-sized bowl. Add the chopped coriander and add the juice of 1/2 a lemon and mix well.
- Now it's time to assemble and devour!