Moroccan Skillet Chicken with Pine Nut Couscous

My brother is visiting this weekend, so I should be cleaning the back bedroom right now. Should being the key word there. I cleaned up a bit, then came across a Rachael Ray magazine. August 2009, with page 85 distinctly marked. Moroccan Skillet chicken with Pine Nuts and Couscous. Mmmmmmm.

This is one of my most favorite recipes ever. No really. It's incredible! It's the perfect recipe to make while you sip some red wine (St. Julian's Red Heron, if you're a classy lady like me). It's both exotic and accessable at the same time. What's even better is that it's quick to make, and it's probably good for you, too (if you don't over-indulge).

Moroccan Skillet Chicken with Pine Nuts and Couscous
Every Day with Rachael Ray, August 2009, pg. 85

Ingredients
* 1 tablespoon sweet paprika (about a palmful)
* 2 teaspoons turmeric (about 2/3 palmful)
* 2 teaspoons ground coriander (about 2/3 palmful)
* 2 teaspoons ground cumin (about 2/3 palmful)
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 2 pounds skinless, boneless dark- or white-meat chicken, cut into 2-inch pieces
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO)
* 1 large onion, thinly sliced
* 4 large cloves garlic, crushed
* 2 lemons, 1 thinly sliced, 1 juiced
* Salt and pepper
* 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
* 1 cup pitted large green olives
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 1 1/2 cups couscous
* 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
* 1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

Directions
1. In a large bowl, mix together the paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin and cinnamon. Add the chicken and toss to coat.
2. In a large skillet, heat the EVOO, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat until rippling and beginning to smoke. Add the chicken and cook, turning, until browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion, garlic and sliced lemon; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened, 6 to 7 minutes. Add 1 cup chicken stock, the olives and lemon juice, scraping the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper.
3. In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining 1 1/2 cups chicken stock and the butter to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover, turn off the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the pine nuts. Top the chicken with the parsley. To serve, spoon the chicken and sauce over the couscous.

A few tips:
1) I never toast the pine nuts, and it tastes just fine.
2) The first time I made this with the olives and it was great. I forgot that Aric doesn't like green olives, so now when I make it, I omit the olives. It still tastes good, but I miss the salty bite.
3) When you slice up the lemons, be sure to get the seeds out before tossing them in the pan. The first time I tried this, I forgot about the seeds. When it came time to eat, I bit down on a lemon seed, thinking it was a pine nut. Not good.
4) Watch out for the turmeric. It stains everything it touches a crazy yellow-orange - including your nails.

Kidney Bean Curry

I have a confession to make...

I backslid on the meal plan. I blatantly deviated from the plan.

But I was so hungry, and everything else would have taken far too long to prepare! And I didn't even have to buy anything extra to make this meal!

And really, you should be proud of me. I researched this recipe and combined several to satisfy my taste buds. This is ingenuity, not impropriety!

KIDNEY BEAN CURRY

INGREDIENTS
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. ginger, minced
3/4 cup water
1 tsp. coriander
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. garam masala
2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tomatoes, chopped

INSTRUCTIONS
1) Sautee onion, garlic, and ginger over med-high heat until soft.
2) Add water, tomatoes, spices, and salt (to taste). Stir to combine.
3) Add beans and stir to coat.
4) Let simmer 15 to 20 minutes or until thick and creamy.
5) Serve over brown rice.

This truly is a wonderful "emergency meal." It doesn't take much time at all to prepare, and is very filling. Aric and I each both ate a bowl full and weren't hungry until the next morning.