Name: Spiced Chicken with Couscous
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus extra to taste; 1/4 teaspoon pepper, plus extra to taste; 4 (12-ounce) bone-in split chicken breasts, trimmed and halved crosswise; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth; 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed; 1 cup couscous; 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces; 1/3 cup green olives stuffed wtih pimento, sliced, plus 1 tablespoon olive brine

Why This Recipe Works

For this Moroccan-inspired spiced chicken dish, we rubbed bone-in chicken breasts with ground cumin and pumpkin pie spice, a blend of warm spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice. While the spice-scented chicken baked, we prepared a hearty 5-minute couscous studded with fruit, chickpeas, and olives.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine cumin, pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and rub with spice mixture. Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high until just smoking. Cook chicken, skin side down, until browned, about 5 minutes. Arrange chicken, skin side up, in 13 by 9-inch baking dish and roast until meat registers 160 degrees, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring broth to boil in now-empty skillet. Stir in chickpeas, couscous, apricots, olives, and olive brine, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with chicken.