Couscous Crusted Chicken

Talk about a happy accident!

Once I got home from the grocery store, I was on a mission:  to make the couscous stuffed chicken featured in this month’s Cooking Light.  I had even pre-snipped the recipe out and hung it up at the stove:

Hard core.

I was pretty excited to try this recipe for a few reasons.  First, I have a giant tub of Rice Select Tri-Color couscous in my cabinet that has been begging to be used.  Second, I love any excuse to use my meat mallet. 

Let’s  be honest… I like any excuse to type “meat mallet”  

Even though the ingredients list is fairly long the dish came together pretty easy.  First, I pounded the chicken breast out to about 1/4 inch thickness and sliced in half.  For the couscous mixture, I brought 1/4 cup of fat free low sodium chicken broth to a boil then added 1/4 cup of the couscous.  Then you cover the couscous, remove it from the heat, and let it hang out for about 4 minutes.

Then add in the flava:

• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tbsp Athenos Feta Cheese
• 1 tbsp chopped sundried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced spinach
• 1 clove minced garlic

The Cooking Light recipe called for olives (BLEGH!) and olive oil, which I omitted and instead subbed in sundried tomatoes and spinach.  Divide the couscous mixture between your chicken breast halves:

And them roll them up jelly roll style….  Easy right?

Ummm not so much.  I had a couscous blow out and half of the filling fell out!  So, I went with my guts and seared the chicken on all sides, then plopped into a baking dish and kind of mashed the extra couscous mix on top of the chicken.

Then I popped it into a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

And VOILA!

Couscous crusted chicken!

The couscous got a little crispy in the oven, and it reminded me a lot of breaded chicken!

Of course I had a salad on the side.

Overall, the couscous crusted chicken idea is AMAZING.  Now I just need to come up with some sort of sauce to go along side… Hmmmmm……

Stats on 1/2 of the Couscous Crusted Chicken Recipe:  203 calories, 16g carbs, 4g fat, 26g protein, 1g fiber

Couscous Crusted Chicken Ingredients List (Serves 2)

• 8 ounces chicken breast
• 1/4 cup couscous – I use Rice Select Tri Color Couscous
• 1/4 fat free low sodium chicken broth
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried parsley
• 1 tbsp Athenos Feta Cheese
• 1 tbsp chopped sundried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced spinach
• Black pepper to taste
• 1 clove minced garlic