Garlic Chicken & Israeli Couscous

So much has happened since I last blogged..... I completely fell off track with blogging and fun new cooking ideas, but I'm back and so excited to share some new recipes with all of you....

I recently gave birth to my third child and although my nights seem to be sleepless, I've had so many cooking ideas on my mind.... There's a lot in store for the future and I cannot wait to throw some new recipes out at you!!!!

Here's my latest attempt. I got this recipe from the wonderful Anne Burrel and I altered her recipe a bit... 

I absolutely loved this meal. My husband doesn't like the small couscous so I was hoping he would like this couscous, but no luck.... I guess he's just not a couscous kind of guy.... But here you go, for those of you who need a little couscous in your life. 

Ingredients:

• 2 whole garlic bulbs
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 large bunch thyme, leaves only
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground (I toasted in a pan and ground by hand with a mortar & pestle)
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• Kosher salt
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 (4 to 5-pound) chicken, cut into 8 to 10 parts
• Couscous:
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups medium-size Israeli couscous
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 ribs celery, sliced thin on the bias
• Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 zucchini, green part only, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 to 3 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 3 scallions, white and green, sliced thinly 

Directions

Watch how to make this recipe

Chicken:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Put the garlic bulbs in a small tin and roast them until they are soft when squeezed, about 30 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let cool.
When the garlic bulbs are cool, slice the tops off and squeeze out the roasted garlic. Add the garlic to a food processoror a bowl, along with the lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme, cumin, crushed red pepper and salt, to taste. Add a little olive oil and puree or mash into a loose paste. Massage the mixture all over the chicken pieces and let sit for at least 1 hour.
Couscous:
Bring a pot of well salted water to a boil, over medium heat. Add the couscous and cook it until it's about 2/3 of the way cooked, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain and reserve.
Coat a large saute pan with olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken to the pan and brown it on all sides. Remove it to a plate, drain the fat and add the onions and celery. Season with salt, to taste, and the crushed red pepper. Deglaze with white wine, scraping up all the crud on the bottom of the pan and cook the onions and celery for 7 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes. Add in the zucchini, cooked couscous, and chicken stock. Stir to combine, then taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Transfer the mix to an ovenproof dish. Nestle the chicken, skin side up, in the couscous and cover with foil. Add some more chicken stock to keep everything nice and moist. Sprinkle with pine nuts and cover with foil. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan.
Roast the chicken for 20 minutes, covered, then remove the foil and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove the chicken from the oven and top with scallions before serving.