Roast Chicken and Couscous

Yield
6
Cooking Time
1 hour and 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 Tbsp honey
  • 1 whole chicken
  • 1 3/4 C couscous
  • 1 3/4 C water
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp cane sugar
  • 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 Tbsp orange blossom water
  • 1/2 C sliced almonds
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 1/2 C raisins
  • 1/2 C prunes
  • 1/2 C dried apricots
  • 1/2 C dates

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
  2. In a small bowl mix 2 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, ground cinnamon and ginger, salt and pepper. Place the whole chicken in a roasting pan and drizzle and rub the oil mixture all over the chicken.
  3. Roast in the oven for 50 minutes.
  4. While the chicken is roasting, prepare the couscous. Pour the couscous into a large bowl and add the water and salt. Let it sit for about five minutes. Once the couscous has fluffed up, add the sugar, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ground cinnamon and orange blossom water.
  5. In a medium saute pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter then saute the almonds for 2-3 minutes, then pour them into the couscous. Add the dried fruit and mix.
  6. Flip the chicken and let it cook for an additional 10 minutes. Add the couscous mixture all around the chicken. Add a few pats of butter on top of the couscous. Cover with a lid or foil and return back to the oven for 30 minutes.
  7. Remove and let cool slightly before serving.