One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Couscous (Printer View)

Savory chicken thighs in garlic butter with fluffy couscous, tomatoes, and spinach. A satisfying Mediterranean-inspired one-pan meal ready in 40 minutes.

# What you'll need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1 teaspoon kosher salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Garlic Butter

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

→ Couscous & Vegetables

08 - 1 cup couscous
09 - 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 1 cup baby spinach
12 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
13 - Zest of 1 lemon
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ To Finish

15 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Method:

01 - Pat chicken thighs dry and season both sides with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and smoked paprika.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and sear for 3-4 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the same skillet. Once melted, stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
04 - Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the pan. Stir in couscous, cherry tomatoes, spinach, dried thyme, and lemon zest.
05 - Nestle the seared chicken thighs on top of the couscous mixture. Cover and simmer on low heat for 8-10 minutes, or until couscous is tender and chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
06 - Remove from heat. Fluff couscous with a fork, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one skillet, so cleanup is practically nonexistent and your evening stays peaceful.
  • The garlic butter gets soaked up by the couscous, creating this ridiculously comforting flavor that feels fancy but takes zero fussing.
02 -
  • Don't skip drying the chicken before seasoning and searing; wet chicken steams instead of browning, and that changes everything about the final dish.
  • The couscous will keep absorbing liquid even after you remove the pan from heat, so if it seems slightly loose at the end, that's actually perfect.
03 -
  • Let your chicken thighs come to room temperature for 10 minutes before searing so they cook evenly instead of staying cold in the center while the outside browns.
  • If your skillet doesn't have a lid, even a sheet of aluminum foil pinched around the edges traps steam and lets the couscous cook through perfectly.
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