I’m back…kind of! The past few weeks have been a blur, but Dani and I are about to welcome a baby into the world– I’ve been a *little* distracted. I will hopefully not disappear for another seven weeks, but I’d bet that posts are going to be a lot more episodic this year. Some new formatting is coming, but for now let’s try this out: I’m going to give you the ingredients first, then if you’re still with me at the end I’ll write it up like the good ol’ days.

Let’s cook.

You’ll need:

• 4-5 Bone-In Chicken Thighs
• 1 Onion, sliced thinly
• 4 Cloves of Garlic, crushed
• 3 Tbs Harissa
• 1 Tsp Ginger, minced
• 1 Tsp Dried Mint
• 2 Cardamom Pods
• 2 Cups Chickpeas, cooked
• 1/4 Cup Parsley, chopped
• 2 Bay Leaves
• 1 Lemon
• 4 Cups Pearl/Israeli Couscous
• 4 Cups Chicken Stock
• Salt, pepper, and paprika to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper, and paprika. Sear well on medium-high in a sealable pot on the stove, then set the chicken aside and reduce the heat the medium.
3. Add harissa, onions, bay leaves, garlic, and ginger then stir until fragrant.
4. Add cardamom pods, chickpeas and lemon juice. Return the chicken to the pot.
5. Coat evenly, then add dried couscous and mint. Stir for approximately thirty seconds.
6. Pour in chicken stock to the same level as the couscous, cover the pot, and transfer to the oven.
7. Bake for twenty minutes, or until the couscous is fully cooked, then stir in chopped herbs, and taste for seasoning. Finish with lemon juice.
8. Plate and serve.

…Still here? Nice! This was an easy one– perfect to test out a new approach to posts that may be more sustainable this year. When there isn’t enough time to walk through all the steps, I’ll post this way to get you the food you need as soon as possible. By now, you’re pretty used to my methods anyway. Use these instructions as a starting point, and some of the pictures as benchmarks.

This one is easy, but that just makes it even more miraculous. Despite a few years of idolizing Moroccan/Tunisian cuisine, I still don’t have a real Tagine, the conical clay pot that manages to roast and steam foods at the same time. Instead, I used a large dutch oven at about half capacity–that empty space is shaped like a cone…right? Close enough!

If you use the right amount of stock, the couscous will steam itself, and heat will finish cooking the chicken. Toss in the herbs at the end to retain as much of their flavor as possible. The harissa already contains an intricate blend of herbs and spices, but the last minute hit of parsley is money. It’s really that simple but man…it’s good.

I tend to finish half of my meals with arugula, so if you’re like me…have at it. All that gold…and in only one pot? You’re welcome!