A hearty dinner easy enough for busy weeknights
This article originally appeared on The Nosher.
I always considered couscous to be just a simple side dish until I met a dear friend whose Israeli-Yemenite-Moroccan family introduced me to couscous in all its glory: a big, hearty, super comforting main dish. I quickly understood that couscous has a rich place in the North African kitchen and is so much more than just tiny pasta you buy from a box at the supermarket.
Preparing my version of weeknight couscous involves stewing bone-in chicken, hearty root vegetables, squash and a rich chicken broth spiced with cinnamon, turmeric and cumin.
What makes this couscous dish perfect for weeknights is that all the ingredients come together in one pot, which means there’s a lot less cleanup. By taking a few short cuts, we can make a big pot of this couscous in under an hour, with plenty of leftovers to take for lunch the next day — the flavors will be even better!