Spring Chicken Couscous Bowl for a Busy Day!

A Busy, Busy, Busy Day!!!

I spent most of the morning in the yard yesterday planting the pots around the pool. This is my Clematis. It is so beautiful. The weather was hot and humid. I hope not an indication of summer months to come! I have a great summer recipe to help you through the HOT weather!

Spring Chicken Couscous Bowl

Shopping list:

Israeli Pearl Couscous - 2 cups dry
Chicken broth -2 1/4 cups
Boneless skinless Chicken Breasts - 2 pounds
Italian salad dressing of your choice for marinating
Seasoning-Weber Kickin Chicken to sprinkle on chix
Asparagus- 1 pound
Lemon- juice of 1 lemon
1/2tsp salt
1/4tsp pepper
1/2cup olive oil
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 cup sliced almonds

I love Israeli pearl couscous. Little balls of pure delight , I even went so far as to buy this bag at a Cosco in Chicago and bring it home on the plane. We don't have Cosco in OK! :(. I will have to go back when I run out!!

Now we cook:

Pour the chicken broth into a two quart saucepan. Bring to a boil. Next add the dry couscous and cover tightly with a lid. Turn to a simmer (low) and set your timer for 8 minutes. No peaking, when done turn off heat and let sit and steam for 5 minutes. NO PEAKING!!

Grill the chicken. I marinated mine in a ziplock bag for about an hour in Italian salad dressing. Not fancy but good! When ready to grill I seasoned the meat with a Weber Rub called Kickin Chicken. Use what you have...salt and pepper works well too... but please season your chicken. It does make a difference. Place on grill presentation side down first. After about 7 minutes check to see if the chicken releases easily from the grill. If so turn the chicken and cook on the the other side another 7 minutes. This will depend on the size of your chicken breast so watch carefully and remove when fully done but not overlooked and dry. Let chicken rest for at least 10 minutes. Slice on diagonal when ready to serve.

Halfway through cooking the chicken you can trim the ends of the asparagus, toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and put on the grill. Watch carefully so that you do not burn the tips. Turn frequently. When soft and grill marks are present remove to a platter. Cut into one inch pieces.

It is time to make the dressing that will bind everything together in the bowl.

Lemon Vinaigrette:

Juice of one lemon

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Whisk together the above. Continue to whisk while slowly drizzling in 1/2 cup olive oil. You have now made the most tasty, easy, versatile Vinaigrette that there is out there. Yum! You can use it on anything....salads, pasta, marinate with it....the possibilities are endless!

NOW you can open the lid on the couscous. Fluff with a fork just like you would do with rice. Add in the1/2 cup sliced almonds, asparagus pieces, and Vinaigrette. Carefully toss the mixture with a fork to mix. Do not over mix and destroy out little balls of goodness.

See all that yummy goodness just waiting for a fork. Ok....get a smaller bowl and place an ample scoop of the couscous mixture into it. Add your sliced chicken.

 

This my friends is goodness beyond compare! You can serve this hot, at room temperature or eat it straight from the fridg the next day. Now the beauty of this recipe is essentially you just learned a basic method by which you can vary one hundred million ways. You can change veggie, change protein, change the dressing ....you get the idea!!! Be your own chef!    BYOC! Use what you have leftover in the fridg. You are going to love this simple summer supper or lunch!!

 I added some leftover carrots I had in the fridg from dinner the night before!

Made a good thing even better! Don't be afraid to experiment with all kinds of the things that you like. How do you think people come up with GREAT recipes?

Better scoot, am sitting in the infusion room at Baylor with my hubby while he gets his monthly infusions. will be back later with Lemon Cream Cheese dessert bars to finish this weeks recipes.

Happy Trails,

Mtn Mama