Moroccan Couscous with Caramelized Onions (Print)
Fluffy couscous crowned with sweet caramelized onions, plump raisins, and toasted almonds over spiced chicken.
# What You Need:
→ For the Chicken
01 - 1 whole chicken (about 3.3 lbs), cut into pieces
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 2 large onions, finely chopped
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
05 - 1 teaspoon ground ginger
06 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
07 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cumin
09 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon ground saffron or pinch of saffron threads
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
13 - 4 cups chicken broth
14 - 1 small bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
15 - 1 small bunch fresh parsley, chopped
→ For the Tfaya
16 - 3 large onions, thinly sliced
17 - 1 cup golden raisins
18 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil
19 - 1/2 cup slivered almonds
20 - 1/2 cup honey
21 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
22 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
23 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
→ For the Couscous
24 - 2 cups couscous
25 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
26 - 1 teaspoon salt
27 - 2 1/4 cups boiling water
# How To Make It:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Sauté onions and garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides, approximately 8 minutes.
02 - Add ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, salt, saffron, and white pepper. Stir thoroughly to coat chicken in spices. Pour in chicken broth, cilantro, and parsley. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 35–40 minutes until tender.
03 - While chicken simmers, melt butter or heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced onions and sauté until soft and golden brown, about 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
04 - Add raisins, honey, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper to caramelized onions. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently until onions are deeply caramelized and sticky.
05 - In a dry pan over medium heat, toast slivered almonds until golden and fragrant, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat immediately and set aside.
06 - Place couscous in a large heatproof bowl. Add olive oil and salt, then pour boiling water over the grains. Cover tightly and let sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork to separate grains.
07 - Spread prepared couscous over a large serving platter. Arrange chicken pieces on top, spooning some of the cooking sauce over the meat. Distribute caramelized onion and raisin tfaya over the chicken. Garnish generously with toasted almonds. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The way sweet and savory dance together feels like discovering a new language
- One pot feeds a crowd and makes your house smell like a Moroccan marketplace
02 -
- The tfaya onions need time to properly caramelize, rushing them leaves you with sad sautéed onions instead of candy
- Let the couscous steam undisturbed, lifting the lid too early makes for gummy grains
03 -
- Grind saffron threads with a pinch of salt before adding to release maximum flavor and color
- Make the topping a day ahead and reheat gently, the flavors only get better