Chicken and Tomato Couscous Bake

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the conventional oven to 200°C/400°F with a rack in the middle. Use regular fine or medium quick-cooking couscous for this recipe, not pearl couscous. Halve the tomatoes, deseed and cut the peppers into 2 cm pieces, thinly slice the onion and finely chop the garlic. Keep the stock cold.

2. 2

   Put the vegetables and garlic in a deep metal roasting dish approximately 33 × 23 cm, with a capacity of at least 3.5 litres. Add the chicken, olive oil, oregano, paprika, salt and black pepper. Turn everything to coat, then arrange the chicken flat in a single layer among the vegetables.

3. 3

   Roast uncovered at 200°C/400°F for 25 minutes, until the vegetables have softened and released their juices. The chicken will finish cooking during the next stage.

4. 4

   Carefully move the chicken to one side of the dish. Stir the dry couscous and cold chicken stock into the vegetables and roasting juices, spreading the mixture evenly across the dish. Arrange the chicken on top and cover the dish tightly with foil.

5. 5

   Bake, covered, at 200°C/400°F for 20 minutes. Carefully lift the foil away from your face and check that the couscous is tender and the thickest part of each chicken thigh reaches at least 74°C/165°F on a food thermometer. If needed, cover again and bake in additional 5-minute intervals until both checks are met.

6. 6

   Remove from the oven and leave covered for 5 minutes. Gently fluff the couscous around the chicken with a fork, then divide the chicken, couscous and vegetables between four plates.