One of the best parts about pilafs is how much good stuff you can pack into them, without the dish feeling overly heavy.
Simply cook a grain or starch, toss it with a whole bunch of veggies and herbs, drizzle with a flavorful dressing, and top with a protein of your choice.
Voila! You've got a balanced meal in a bowl.
This delicious recipe takes things to flavor town.
Tender, fluffy, buttery couscous, tossed with crisp tender broccoli and asparagus, sweet bell pepper and tomato, fresh cucumber, parsley, and green onion, briny olives, and tangy feta cheese. A drizzle of lemon-garlic-oregano dressing and a liberal pinch of salt and pepper ties it all together.
What makes it even better?
Marinating chicken in a lemon-garlic-oregano marinade, then grilling for extra smoky flavor, and serving on top of the couscous salad.
Sure, this dish requires a lot of chopping of veggies, but boy, is it worth it. And it makes A TON, so you'll have plenty of leftovers for lunches during the week. Enjoy!
Recipe
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast cutlets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- juice of ½ lemon
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
For the couscous:
- 10 ounce uncooked plain couscous
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or butter
- 2 cups boiling water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound asparagus, woody ends removed, spears cut into 1-inch pieces
- ¾ pound broccoli, florets cut into ½ inch pieces, stems saved for another use
- 2 small red bell peppers, seeded & diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
- ½ large English cucumber, diced
- 1 cup halved kalamata olives
- ½ cup sliced green onion
- ½ cup minced parsley
- 6 ounces crumbed feta
For the dressing:
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
- ⅓ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- pita bread (optional)
Instructions
For the chicken:
- Add the chicken cutlets to a large ziplock bag or medium baking dish and set aside.
- Whisk together the chicken marinade ingredients (olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper) in a small bowl.
- Pour the marinade over the chicken and toss to coat well. Let rest at room temperature while you prepare the rest of the salad.
For the couscous:
- Add the dry couscous, ½ teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter to a large heat-proof bowl. Pour two cups of boiling water over the couscous, cover with a large plate, and let steam for five minutes. When the couscous is done cooking, remove the plate, and fluff with a fork. Set aside and let cool.
- Meanwhile, add two tablespoons of olive oil to a large nonstick skillet and warm over medium heat. Add the chopped asparagus and broccoli, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are bright green and crisp tender. Add the broccoli and asparagus to the bowl with the couscous and let cool.
- While the vegetables and couscous cool, make the dressing. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients (extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, honey, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper) in a small bowl and set aside.
- When the vegetables and couscous are no longer piping hot, add the bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, green onion, parsley, and feta to the bowl. Pour the dressing over the salad and mix until evenly coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- Finally, warm a grill pan over high heat on the stove. Add the chicken cutlets and cook, about 3 minutes on each side, until the chicken is cooked through & has grill marks. Remove from the grill and let cool for 5 minutes. Slice into strips, and set aside.
- If desired, brush pita bread with plain or garlic olive oil and lightly grill. Serve on the side of the salads.
- When ready to eat, spoon the couscous into individual serving bowls, top with sliced chicken, and enjoy.
Leave a Reply