Moroccan-Spiced Chicken & Apricot Pistachio Couscous

This month's Living is definitely full of good things. From delectable cupcakes to handmade-inspired Valentines DIY projects. This recipe was tucked away in the back and right away it made it on this week's menu.

You'll need:
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp coarse salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 whole chicken, quartered, skin on
1 lemon, quartered

NOTE: I ended up only using 2 thighs, 1 drumstick, 1 breast (all bones/skin on). For me, if you were gonna go ahead and use the suggested amount of chicken, you'd need to double the amount of spices and olive oil.

Step 1. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and preheat to 450F. Cover with a sheet of foil if that's your preference.
Step 2. Wash chicken and dry with paper towels. Set aside.
Step 3. Cut lemon into quarters.


Step 4. Mix spices, salt, pepper and oil in a bowl.


Step 5. Rub the paste all over the chicken.
Step 6. Carefully remove the HOT baking sheet from the oven. Space chicken out on a single layer and place lemon wedges around the chicken. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes (or until the chicken registers 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer or juices run clear). Let stand for 10 minutes, season with additional salt and pepper and serve with pan juices and garnish with roasted lemon wedges.


NOTE: The recipe didn't call for turning, but I opted to turn the chicken pieces at the 15 minute mark (skin down) then turned it over again (skin up) at the 20 minute mark. I noticed that the bottoms were getting more brown/crisp because of the oil that was accumulating. So that's why I decided to turn the pieces mid-way through.

Olive, Apricot and Pistachio Couscous
1 1/4 cups water
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 ounce (1 tbs) unsalted butter
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
3 tbs coarsely chopped green olives (about 6 large olives)
1 cup couscous
2 tbs shelled pistachios toasted and coarsely chopped
2 tbs fresh lemon juice

NOTE: I didn't have any olives on hand but it was still very tasty. I also didn't bother toasting the pistachios and I prefer a little more lemon so I probably ended up using 3 tbs of lemon juice and a bit more salt.


Bring water, salt and butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Add apricots, olives and couscous. Swirl pan to submerge all ingredients. Cover, remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork then gently fold in pistachios and lemon juice. Taste to see whether you need to add more salt.