A showstopper one-skillet meal starring golden, crispy chicken thighs.
Published on October 18, 2021
The secret to perfect chicken thighs is browning them on the stovetop in an oven-proof skillet, and then transferring the pan to the oven for the chicken to finish cooking. In this one-pan meal, you’ll also throw in Israeli couscous (which is larger and has more bite than its smaller, fluffier cousin), warm spices, shallots, chopped dried dates, and meaty, buttery Castelvetrano olives. After searing, the chicken thighs will continue to cook in the oven, and then crisp up under the heat of the broiler. Showers of fresh cilantro and sweet pomegranate seeds are the finishing touches to a meal that’s as ideal for entertaining as it is on a busy weeknight.
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Ingredients
6 6-oz. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 cup uncooked Israeli couscous
½ cup chopped shallots (from 1 shallot)
½ cup Castelvetrano olives, coarsely chopped
¼ cup chopped dried dates
1 teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup pomegranate arils
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F with rack 8 inches from heat. Sprinkle skin of chicken thighs with ½ teaspoon salt. Place chicken, skin side down, in a large, broiler-safe skillet. Cook over medium, undisturbed, until chicken skin is crisp and light golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer chicken, skin side up, to a plate. Discard drippings in skillet.
Add couscous, shallots, olives, dates, cumin, cinnamon, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt to skillet. Stir in 1⅓ cups water and bring to a simmer over medium-high. Nestle chicken, skin side up, in couscous mixture. Cover skillet with aluminum foil and transfer to oven. Bake until chicken is cooked through, a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of thighs registers at least 165°F, and couscous is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Increase oven temperature to broil. Uncover skillet; broil until chicken skin is crisp, about 5 minutes. Top with cilantro and pomegranate arils.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 590 | Calories |
| 23g | Fat |
| 56g | Carbs |
| 39g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 4 | |
| Calories 590 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 23g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat 6g | 30% |
| Cholesterol 194mg | 65% |
| Sodium 1033mg | 45% |
| Total Carbohydrate 56g | 20% |
| Dietary Fiber 5g | 18% |
| Total Sugars 24g | |
| Protein 39g | 78% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
