Couscous Just the Thing for Chick-Chick
Lemon chicken, an easy summertime dinner from the grill, becomes a bit more interesting when served atop a bed of almond couscous.
The nice thing about couscous, which is eaten by just about everyone in North Africa and the Middle East, is that it can be prepared in minutes. Add some fruit, nuts or herbs, and it becomes a delicious side dish.
Thick chicken breasts will grill quicker if you cut them in half horizontally first. To make a prettier plate, grill the lemons after you’ve removed the zest, then use them to garnish the serving plates.
Grilled Lemon Chicken
Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 30 minutes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, about 1 1/4 pounds
3 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 large clove garlic, finely minced
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
2 lemons, cut in half
Heat the grill or broiler.
Cut the chicken breasts in half horizontally if they’re thick and place them on a plate. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice and minced garlic and pour it over the chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Grill the chicken over a medium-hot fire or broil until a meat thermometer reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees and the breasts are lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Place the lemons cut side down on the grill until lightly browned, 1 to 2 minutes.
To serve, slice the breasts diagonally into 5 pieces. Mound the couscous on each serving plate and place a sliced chicken breast on top. Squeeze the grilled lemon on the chicken and couscous.
4 servings. Each serving: 258 calories; 168 mg sodium; 108 mg cholesterol; 10 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 40 grams protein; 0.06 gram fiber.
MENU
Grilled Lemon Chicken
Cilantro and Almond Couscous
Mixed Green Salad
Crusty French Bread
SHOPPING LIST
1/2 cup slivered almonds
4 chicken breasts
1 bunch cilantro
Couscous
Lettuce
3 plum tomatoes
STAPLES
Butter
Capers
Chicken broth
Garlic
Lemons
Olive oil
Salad dressing
GAME PLAN
30 minutes before: Heat grill or broiler. Cut chicken in half if necessary and marinate.
20 minutes before: Heat chicken stock.
15 minutes before: Grill or broil chicken. Add stock to couscous. Cook capers, lemon zest and almonds for couscous.
10 minutes before: Prepare salad.
5 minutes before: Stir tomatoes and cilantro into couscous. Mound couscous on plates, slice chicken and serve.
More to Read
Eat your way across L.A.
Get our weekly Tasting Notes newsletter for reviews, news and more.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.