Moroccan Couscous with Caramelized Onions (Print Version)
Fluffy couscous topped with sweet caramelized onions, raisins, and toasted almonds, served with tender spiced chicken.
# What You Need:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 1 whole chicken (about 3.5 lbs), cut into pieces
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 large onions, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon ground ginger
06 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground saffron or pinch of saffron threads
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
13 - 4 cups chicken broth
14 - 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - 1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
→ For the Tfaya (Caramelized Onion Topping)
16 - 3 large onions, thinly sliced
17 - 1 cup golden raisins
18 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
19 - 1/2 cup slivered almonds
20 - 1/2 cup honey
21 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
22 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
23 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ For the Couscous
24 - 2 cups couscous
25 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
26 - 1 teaspoon salt
27 - 2 1/4 cups boiling water
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides, approximately 6-8 minutes.
02 - Add ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, salt, saffron, and white pepper. Stir thoroughly to coat chicken in spices. Pour in chicken broth, cilantro, and parsley. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 35-40 minutes until chicken is tender and fully cooked.
03 - While chicken simmers, melt butter or heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and sauté until soft and golden brown, about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning.
04 - Add raisins, honey, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper to the caramelized onions. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently until onions are deeply caramelized and sticky. In a separate dry pan, toast almonds over medium heat until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
05 - Place couscous in a large heatproof bowl. Add olive oil and salt, then pour boiling water over the grains. Cover tightly and let sit for 5 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork to separate the grains.
06 - Spread steamed couscous on a large serving platter. Arrange tender chicken pieces on top and ladle some of the aromatic cooking sauce over the chicken. Spoon the caramelized onion and raisin tfaya generously over the chicken. Garnish with toasted almonds and serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between tender spiced chicken and sweet sticky onions creates that perfect balance that makes you keep going back for just one more bite
- Its one of those dishes that tastes like you spent all day cooking but actually comes together in under an hour and a half
02 -
- The secret to perfect couscous is letting it steam undisturbed for exactly 5 minutes no peeking or it turns gummy
- Caramelizing the onions slowly is what makes this dish special so dont rush that step or youll miss the depth of flavor
03 -
- Pat the chicken pieces dry before browning them or they will steam instead of sear
- Use the largest pan you have for the onions so they caramelize instead of steam