One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Couscous (Printer View)

Golden chicken in garlic butter with fluffy couscous, tomatoes, and peas—all 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

# Method:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika. Lightly dust with flour and shake 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 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 chicken broth into the pan and bring to a simmer, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
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 reaches internal temperature of 165°F.
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 -
  • One pan means one cleanup, which honestly might be the best part of dinner after a long day.
  • The couscous soaks up all the pan juices, so every bite tastes like pure comfort without any dry or bland moments.
  • Garlic butter transforms simple ingredients into something that feels restaurant-worthy in under 40 minutes.
02 -
  • Don't skip patting the chicken dry, or you'll end up with steam rather than a proper sear, and that golden crust is where the flavor lives.
  • If your couscous looks a little dry when you remove the lid, it means either your heat was too high or your lid wasn't sealed well, so adjust accordingly and add a splash more broth next time if needed.
03 -
  • If you have a cast iron skillet, use it here because it holds heat so evenly that your chicken sears beautifully with less fussing.
  • Don't be tempted to peek under the lid while the couscous cooks, as you'll lose steam and mess with the cooking time.
Return