Couscous Risotto with Chicken
Couscous Risotto with Chicken – Risotto is a very specific dish, made with one of three specific varieties of Italian rice, and prepared in a very specific, labor-intensive manner.
Risotto is also a concept—a creamy, hearty one-dish meal that features some sort of starch.
In Italy, I’ve seen risotto recipes made with farro, barley, quinoa, and orzo listed on restaurant menus.
This recipe focuses on pearl couscous, a wheat-based pasta typically used in salads and pilafs.
Pearl couscous (sometimes labeled Israeli couscous) has several nice perks as the star ingredient in this superfast risotto with chicken and three veggies.
When toasted in fat, these small spheres of pasta take on a lovely nutty flavor.
The short simmering time (12 minutes) is an additional advantage
Pearl couscous doesn’t release as much starch as arborio rice, so this dish is finished with Parmesan as well as a drizzle of heavy cream to create that classic risotto texture.
This Italian-inspired recipe qualifies as a delicious and easy one-pot supper.
Couscous Risotto with Chicken – Removing the chicken from the pot after browning it helps keep it from turning dry when added to the couscous near the end of cooking.
Couscous Risotto with Chicken Recipe
Season chicken with salt and pepper.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in Dutch oven over high heat.
Add chicken and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 6 minutes.
Transfer to bowl; set aside.
Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in now-empty pot over medium heat.
Stir in leeks and couscous and cook until leeks have softened and couscous is lightly toasted, 4 to 6 minutes.
Add broth and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil.
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until couscous is tender, about 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pot and continue to simmer, covered, until chicken registers 160 degrees, about 5 minutes longer.
Off heat, stir in spinach, Parmesan, peas, and cream. Serve.
Couscous Risotto with Chicken Ingredients
4 (6- to 8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, sliced thin, and washed thoroughly
1 ½ cups pearl couscous
3 cups chicken broth
2 ounces (2 cups) baby spinach, chopped coarse
1 ½ ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (¾ cup)
½ cup frozen peas
⅓ cup heavy cream
Classic Chicken Parmesan Recipe >>
