The couscous with chicken and vegetables is a one-pot dish easy to prepare and very tasty. Light and appetizing, it’s great both hot and at room temperature, and it makes a perfect takeaway food for a picnic or work lunch. As in the recipe for couscous with tuna and zucchini, I offer you the gluten-free version, made with corn couscous. However, if you have no gluten intolerance, you can easily use wheat semolina couscous. For a particular touch, I flavored the chicken with smoked paprika; alternatively, you can use chili powder for a spicy note or omit it altogether. For the doses and preparation of pre-cooked couscous, follow the instructions on the package, as they may vary depending on the brand.

This versatile and tasty dish will not only satisfy your palate but also add an exotic and colorful touch to your table!

Ingredients for Couscous with Chicken and Vegetables

If you are celiac, you can use gluten-free pre-cooked couscous made from corn or other allowed grains, always checking the label for the “gluten-free” mark.

2 1/2 cups pre-cooked couscous
1.1 lbs chicken breast
2 zucchini
1 bell pepper
3/4 cup cherry tomatoes
1 1/4 cups cooked, boiled chickpeas
1/2 onion
2 tablespoons smoked paprika (optional)
to taste extra virgin olive oil
to taste salt
to taste vegetable broth (or water, to refresh the couscous)

Tools

1 Chopping board
1 Knife
1 Pan non-stick, large
1 Pot

How to Prepare Couscous with Chicken and Vegetables

To prepare couscous with chicken and vegetables, start by cutting the chicken breast into strips (1). Clean the bell pepper by removing the white parts and seeds; cut it into cubes (2). Wash and trim the zucchini, then slice them into rounds (3). Wash the cherry tomatoes and cut them in half. Finely chop the onion and sauté it over low heat in a large pan.
Add the chicken breast and brown it over medium heat, lightly salting and seasoning with paprika (4); then remove the chicken from the pan and in the same cooking base, cook the bell pepper and zucchini over high heat (5), stirring occasionally and, if necessary, wetting with a few tablespoons of water. Add a pinch of salt.
While the vegetables are cooking, prepare the couscous following the instructions on the package. In my case, I poured the couscous into an equal weight of salted boiling water (6), added a tablespoon of oil, and stirred for a few seconds; I removed the pot from the heat, letting the couscous rest for a couple of minutes.
Then I added two more tablespoons of oil and returned the couscous to the heat, cooking it for about 2 minutes. Finally, I fluffed it with a fork (7). When the vegetables are cooked, drain the chickpeas and rinse them under running water to remove the preserving liquid, then add them to the couscous with chicken and vegetables along with the cherry tomatoes (8); let it flavor for a few minutes and also add the chicken (9).
Turn off the heat and mix the couscous with the seasoning. Serve the couscous with chicken and vegetables hot or at room temperature.