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Peach, Chicken and Red Onion Couscous
2 warm couscous bowls · Active 20 min · Total 30 min
Print recipe · PDFA firm ripe peach can bring sweetness and a little char to a quick chicken supper. Red onion softens in the same skillet while couscous hydrates in a covered bowl. The result is warm rather than saucy, with lemon and parsley keeping the fruit from making the whole dish taste like dessert.
Choose fruit that can hold a slice
A very soft peach is better eaten fresh than pushed around a hot skillet. Choose fruit that yields slightly but still slices cleanly, and leave the skin on to hold the wedges together. Brown them briefly and remove them before cooking the chicken. They need color, not a long simmer. Nectarines work by the same method.
Keep the couscous loose
Ordinary couscous hydrates quickly in a covered heatproof bowl; pearl couscous needs a different cooking method. Fluff the grains with a fork before adding the pan juices. Cutting the chicken into even strips helps it cook quickly, but check the thickest strip with a thermometer rather than relying on its color. Return the peach only at the end and turn it through gently. If you have a small skillet, brown the chicken in two batches so it cooks instead of releasing a pool of liquid. The few extra minutes are better than a crowded pan.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup ordinary couscous (130 g)
- 3/4 cup just-boiled chicken stock (180 ml)
- 10 oz boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch strips (280 g)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml), divided
- 1 large firm ripe peach, cut into 8 wedges (180 g)
- 1 medium red onion, sliced into thin wedges (150 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml)
- 3 tablespoons chopped parsley (12 g)
Set out
10-inch skillet (25 cm), Heatproof bowl and plate to cover, Fork, Instant-read food thermometer, Separate raw-chicken board
Allergens
Wheat. Check labels and substitutions.
Make it
- Put couscous in the heatproof bowl, pour over just-boiled stock and cover with a plate. Stand 8 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
- Heat half the oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Brown peach wedges for 1 minute on each cut side. Transfer to a clean plate.
- Add remaining oil and onion. Cook 4–5 minutes until softened. Add chicken, cumin, salt and pepper. Cook 6–8 minutes, turning, until the thickest strip reaches 165°F/74°C. Use two batches if chicken cannot sit in a single layer.
- Add lemon and 2 tablespoons water to the pan and scrape up the cooked juices. Fold in couscous and parsley, then return peaches. Warm gently for 1 minute and serve.
Give raw chicken a short journey
Buy the small quantity near a place you can refrigerate it. Keep it at 40°F/4°C or below and cook within 1–2 days; a compact camper fridge must maintain the same temperature as a home fridge.
A useful detail
The couscous starts while you prepare the skillet ingredients. If cooking in batches, allow up to 5 extra minutes.
Another way
- Use a firm nectarine of the same weight instead of peach.
- Replace parsley with 2 tablespoons sliced mint (5 g) and use 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander instead of cumin.
Keep it well
Refrigerate promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 3 days. Reheat to 165°F/74°C. Keep raw chicken chilled until cooking and separate from fruit and ready-to-eat ingredients.