Description
Baked Tomato Chicken Thighs with Couscous is a flavorful one-dish meal combining tender, spiced chicken thighs roasted over a bed of vibrant vegetables and pearl couscous. This Middle Eastern and Mediterranean-inspired recipe delivers a harmonious blend of spices, fresh lemon, and tarragon, resulting in crispy-skinned chicken and a beautifully fragrant couscous base.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 2 bell peppers (mix of red and yellow), chopped
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 1 celery stalk, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 medium leek, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and sliced into 1/2-inch half moons
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
Chicken & Seasoning
- 6 large bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- Kosher salt, to taste
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 1 teaspoon baharat spice
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
Other Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups pearl couscous
- 2 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 1 large lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 small bunch (1 ounce) tarragon, finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven. Place a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400°F to ensure it’s hot and ready for roasting the chicken and vegetables.
- Prepare the vegetables. In a large 15x12-inch baking dish, combine the chopped bell peppers, red onion, celery, carrot, leek, quartered cherry tomatoes, minced garlic, olive oil, and a generous pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Toss thoroughly until all vegetables are evenly coated with olive oil and seasoning.
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season all over with kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, baharat spice, and turmeric. Rub the spices well into the chicken skin and flesh to achieve an even coating.
- Roast the chicken and vegetables. Nestle the chicken thighs skin side down into the vegetable mixture in the baking dish. Place the dish uncovered into the preheated oven and roast for 30 minutes, allowing the chicken skin to render fat and vegetables to begin softening.
- Add couscous and flavorings. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven. Transfer the chicken thighs to a rimmed plate temporarily. Stir the tomato paste, pearl couscous, broth, lemon zest, and lemon juice into the vegetable mixture in the dish. Add most of the chopped tarragon, reserving some for garnish, and mix well to combine.
- Reassemble and finish baking. Arrange the chicken thighs skin side up on top of the couscous and vegetable mixture, ensuring the flesh is nestled into the couscous while the skin remains exposed to crisp. Return the baking dish to the oven and roast for an additional 30 minutes, until the chicken skin is crispy and most of the liquid has been absorbed by the couscous.
- Serve. Remove the dish from the oven, sprinkle the reserved tarragon over the top for freshness, and serve the dish warm as a comforting, hearty meal.
Notes
- This dish shines as a one-pan family meal or an impressive dish for entertaining guests.
- Using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs ensures juicy meat and crispy skin; boneless or skinless variations may affect texture and cooking time.
- If you prefer, substitute pearl couscous with regular couscous, but adjust liquid and cooking times accordingly.
- Baharat can be found in specialty stores or substituted with a blend of cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, and black pepper.
- Leftovers store well and flavors deepen, making it a great make-ahead dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 627 kcal
- Sugar: 5.9 g
- Sodium: 470 mg
- Fat: 29.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 19.2 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 57.5 g
- Fiber: 5.6 g
- Protein: 32.6 g
- Cholesterol: 142 mg
