Couscous with Chicken Breast and Carrot in Chicken Stock with homemade chicken stock and homemade chicken stock

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade chicken stock ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Put the chicken, the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, bay leaves and peppercorns and the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam that rises during the first 15 minutes with a spoon.

   StovePot
2. 2
   Turn down and simmer gently 2.5–3 hours.

   Stove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
3. 3
   Strain the stock.

   Colander
4. 4
   Put the chicken, the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, bay leaves and peppercorns and the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Skim off the foam that rises during the first 15 minutes with a spoon.

   StovePot
5. 5
   Turn down and simmer gently 2.5–3 hours.

   Stove
6. 6
   Strain the stock.

   Colander

For the Fried onion

1. 7
   Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat.

   StoveLarge pot
2. 8
   Add the onion and fry for 8 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and deep golden.

   Stove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
3. 9
   Add the garlic and fry about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.

   Stove

   💡Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter. Add it only after the onion has softened, over medium heat, and add the next ingredient as soon as it smells fragrant.

To assemble

1. 10
   Add the chicken cubes and fry 5 minutes.

   Stove
2. 11
   Add the cumin, turmeric, paprika, salt and black pepper and stir.
3. 12
   Add the carrot and stock and bring to a boil.

   Stove
4. 13
   Turn down the heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes.

   StoveLid
5. 14
   Bring the liquid to a boil and pour it over the couscous.

   StoveSmall saucepan
6. 15
   Cover 5 minutes and fluff the grains with a fork.

   💡Fluff with a fork, not a spoon: a fork separates the grains, and a spoon mashes them into clumps.
7. 16
   Serve the couscous on a plate with the stew and broth on top.
8. 17
   Sprinkle the parsley on top.