Couscous Stuffed Chicken Breasts
Instructions:
- The natural pocket in a chicken breast between the thicker section of meat and the so-called “tender†cries out for an aromatic stuffi ng—like the one here, with a Moroccan-inspired mixture of scallions, thyme, raisins, and couscous. Makes 6 servings
- 11â„2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup couscous
- 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
- 1â„2 cup raisins, chopped
- 2 teaspoons olive oil, plus additional for greasing the pan
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1â„2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1â„2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1â„2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Six 10- to 12-ounce bone-in skin-on or skinless chicken breasts
- 6 tablespoons warm water
- 1â„4 cup Fig Jam, homemade or purchased; orange marmalade; or a purchased shallot-onion marmalade
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- Bring the broth to a boil in a medium saucepan set over high heat. Stir in the couscous, cover, and set aside off the heat for 5 minutes.
- Mix the shallot, raisins, olive oil, cumin, 1â„2 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, coriander, and the pepper into the couscous. Cool for 10 minutes.
- Cut the breasts in half the short way, cutting a bit on the diagonal through the thickest part of the meat so that both halves end up about the same size. Run your thumb along the cut meat—you’ll discover a natural pocket where the fi bers separate into the fi rmer breast meat and the so-called “tender.â€
- Insert a sharp paring knife into this natural rift and slice open a small pocket without cutting all the way through the breast in any direction. Gently pry the pocket open with your fi ngers, then pack it with 1â„4 cup of the couscous stuffi ng.
- Position the rack in the center of the oven; preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a large baking sheet. Place the breasts slit side down on it (with the visible stuffi ng in the pocket against the bottom of the pan).
- Whisk the warm water, jam or marmalade, ginger, and the remaining 1â„2 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Brush half this mixture over the chicken breasts. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Baste generously with the fi g glaze, using all of it. Continue baking until deeply browned, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast registers 160°F (our preference) or 170°F (the USDA recommendation), about 20 additional minutes. Transfer the breasts to a serving platter or a cutting board for 5 minutes.
- To make a pan gravy, skim and discard any visible fat from the pan juices, pour the juices into a small saucepan, and set it over high heat.
- Whisk in about 1 â„2 cup chicken broth until the mixture comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and boil, whisking occasionally, until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.