Chicken with Apricots, Olives and Couscous is an easy dinner recipe that cooks together in one pot. Chicken thighs seasoned with cinnamon and cumin along with bursts of apricot sweetness and briny olives all give this skillet dinner a Moroccan flavor that will transport you to a faraway place with every forkful.
With just a few seasonings and spices, you can travel the world while staying right in your very own kitchen.
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Chicken With Apricots
Spices from your cabinet sprinkled on ingredients and simmered in a recipe will transform your food and fill your kitchen with the aromas of faraway cuisines.
Take in the “Swirls of Flavor” and imagine being in another place with every bite.
One of the many things I love about cooking is when seasonings, spices and fresh herbs give you a peek into another culture and it’s many foods and flavors.
And this skillet dinner recipe of Chicken with Apricots with the Moroccan flavors of cinnamon and cumin and bursts of apricot sweetness and briny olives does just that.
Gathering family and friends around the table to share delicious food is what it’s all about.
So let’s make this one pot chicken recipe, gather around the table, travel the world in our kitchen and savor the moments together!
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Pearl Couscous FAQ’s
What is pearl couscous?
Pearl couscous is a type of pasta that has a round shape and is about the size of pearls, which is why it is sometimes called pearl couscous. It is made from semolina and wheat flour and is toasted, not dried.
What are other names for pearl couscous?
Pearl couscous is also called:
- Israeli couscous
- Jerusalem couscous
- giant couscous
Are couscous and pearl couscous the same thing?
Couscous and pearl couscous both are made with water and semolina flour but are different in size, shape and texture. Couscous is the more traditional of the two, is irregularly shaped and much smaller than pearl couscous. Pearl couscous has a soft chewy texture. Couscous has a lighter, more delicate texture.
How to make One Pot Chicken With Apricots
This is a quick overview of how to make chicken with apricots and olives. The full recipe with ingredient amounts is in the recipe card below.
- Season and brown the chicken thighs
- Add onions, apricots and olives and cook until tender
- Add broth
- Stir in pearl couscous and bring to a boil
- Reduce heat; cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through.
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to use a large skillet with deep sides so that all of the ingredients fit together in the pot
Substitutions
- Golden raisins can replace apricots
- Parsley is an acceptable substitute for cilantro
- Boneless chicken thighs can be used in this recipe instead of bone-in chicken thighs
Equipment
- 12-inch skillet with deep sides
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- Glass measuring cup
- wooden spoon
Ingredients
Ingredients for apricot chicken:
- olive oil
- bone-in chicken thighs
- ground cinnamon
- ground cumin
- kosher salt
- onion
- dried apricots
- pimento stuffed green olives
- garlic
- chicken broth
- pearl couscous
- cilantro
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One Pot Chicken With Apricots, Olives & Couscous Recipe
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 4 bone-in chicken thighs ,skin removed
- 1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon ,divided
- ¾ teaspoon ground cumin ,divided
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt ,divided
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2/3 cup chopped dried apricots or golden raisins
- ½ cup chopped pimento stuffed green olives
- 2 cloves garlic ,minced
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
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Instructions
- Heat oil over medium-high heat in large non-stick skillet with deep sides.
- Season chicken with ½ tsp. cinnamon, ¼ tsp. cumin and ¼ tsp. kosher salt and cook over
medium-high until browned, 8-10 minutes, turning once. - Add onion, apricots, olives, garlic and remaining ¾ tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. cumin and
¼ tsp. kosher salt and cook until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. - Add broth and pearl couscous and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through* and couscous is
tender, 10-12 minutes. - Remove from heat and let stand 3 minutes.
- Top with cilantro.
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