Review: Spiced Chicken with Couscous Pilaf - April

[luv2cook]

I made the Spiced Chicken with Couscous Pilaf tonight. While I don't think I can give a 100% fair rating because as I was typing I realized I left out the lime juice by mistake which I think would have made a difference, I can offer suggestions to those who want to make it. Rating: 6.5

1. I think it needs a little umph in the seasoning...maybe adding a pinch of garlic salt
2. I would make the couscous in a separate pan. The couscous turns brown in the same pan, plus it's kind of awkward to stir everything in when it's in a skillet vs. a pan
3. I used extra cilantro and I topped the chicken with sour cream. To me it just needed something. The rub was very...for lack of a better word...dry.
4. I used canned corn. I've given up on frozen.

I reserve the right to readjust my opinion! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Peggy]

Oh dear!!! This is on my list to try on Thursday night. Now, I'm a little concerned about making it. I appreciate your honesty and your suggestions for improving the recipe. Thanks for the review!

Peggy

[crlykat]

Hello! This is my first post here although I have been reading the board for a little while.

I just made this recipe the other night for my husband. On the rub, I increased the cayenne (we like spicy), decreased the thyme and oregano slightly, and upped the garlic.
The couscous was a bit bland, so I added another lime's juice and more cilantro. I figured that the couscous was supposed to be a tangy bite to the spicy of the chicken. I hope I was right! Oh, and I made it in a seperate pan than the chicken.
My husband really liked it and has enjoyed eating the leftovers! Actually when we made salmon the other night he asked for this spice rub and we put it on salmon and cooked it on our indoor grill.

Hope this helps.

[Norma]

I didn't make the chicken part, but I needed a quick side dish the other night and I just made the couscous. We both liked it alot. I used really rich chicken broth that I had made.

Norma

[luv2cook]

I definitely think the couscous was supposed to have a kick to it to offset the "dryness" of the marinade. It's a simple recipe to make so I think it deserves our tweaking http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[clairea]

I made this last night too, and would agree with luv2cook's suggestions (I wish I had thought of topping the chicken with a little sour cream -- it was dry). I did add the lime juice and think it helped the couscous, but would add more next time. Also, I didn't have any cilantro, but I'm sure that would help perk up the couscous too. DH and I didn't really think the corn added much, and would just as soon leave it out next time. But, with those changes, this was a quick, easy recipe and I will definitely try it again.

[Holly in KC]

I tried this tonight... I tried to cook the couscous separately from the chicken as suggested. The couscous was great! The lime juice gave it a great kick.

The chicken, however... needs a LOT more tweaking. I pretty much followed the recipe, and agree with all comments. Entirely too bland. Funny... I found the Florentine Frittata too bland as well. My taste much be very different from the recipe developer in this article.

The couscous is a repeater. However, there are too many other interesting chicken recipes repeat this one.

[misstapioca]

hi all,
i made this quick and easy recipe last night. i found my chicken juicy when i set it aside there was lots of juices in the plate that i just poured on top of the couscous. i made the couscous in the same pan as the chicken and it basically deglazed the pan of the spices etc. I really enjoyed the spiciness of the chicken and the tangy lime flavor.

[kendra]

I made this last week and found it to be very good. I cooked the chicken and couscous in different pans to have both ready at the same time. The chicken was not too dry for me and I loved the couscous. Very Costa Rican my husband said to me about the couscous (he spent 8 weeks down there for a tropical biology course in graduate school). I would keep the corn in clairea just to make sure you get those 25 grams of fiber a day.

[Marcie]

I made this last night and didn't have a problem with the chicken being too dry, but I also only cooked it about 8 mins total instead of the suggested 10. Also (and I think this really helped) I sauteed the onions and garlic for about 6 minutes with a pinch of sugar to semi-carmelize them before adding the couscous, corn and broth. Then I sliced up the chicken and stirred it into the couscous at the end to make it easier to eat. A good, relatively quick dinner.

[luv2cook]

i wasn't talking about the chicken itself being dry, just the seasoning was dry, didn't have a texture...that's all I meant.

[Marcie]

I see, luv2cook, what you mean about the seasonings being dry. It does have a dry-rub effect. What would you think about adding some "wet" seasoning to it, like a can of green chiles?

[luv2cook]

no, I wouldn't do that. it needs something grainy IMHO...