One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Couscous (Printable Version)

Tender garlic butter chicken with fluffy couscous in one pan

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon paprika
05 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

→ Garlic Butter

06 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced

→ Couscous

08 - 1 1/2 cups couscous
09 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 1/2 cup frozen peas
12 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
13 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# How-To Steps:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika. Lightly dust with flour, shaking off excess.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and sear until golden brown on both sides, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to a plate.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the pan, then stir in minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom with a wooden spoon.
05 - Stir in couscous, cherry tomatoes, and peas. Return chicken breasts to the pan, nestling them into the couscous mixture.
06 - Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes until couscous is tender and chicken is cooked through.
07 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley.
08 - Fluff couscous with a fork, slice chicken if desired, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, which means less cleanup and more time to actually enjoy your meal with people you care about.
  • The couscous absorbs all those golden, garlicky pan drippings, so every bite tastes deeply flavored without needing extra sauce.
  • From prep to table in 35 minutes, because sometimes life is busy and dinner still needs to taste like you spent all afternoon on it.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry—I learned this the hard way when I tried to rush, and the steam prevented any browning, resulting in pale, sad chicken that didn't taste nearly as good.
  • The couscous absorbs liquid at different rates depending on your pan size and stove, so check it around the 8-minute mark and adjust time by a minute or two if needed rather than following the clock blindly.
03 -
  • Use a skillet with a well-fitting lid, because steam escaping means your couscous won't cook evenly and you might end up with dry patches.
  • Lemon juice and zest should go in right before serving, not during cooking, so the brightness doesn't fade and cook away into nothing.
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