Quick and Easy Balsamic Chicken with Couscous

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(This post has been updated from the original March 2014 version to provide a better experience for you)

Bored of eating the same thing? Need a quick and easy meal idea? Add this speedy balsamic chicken with herby couscous to your list! Made in less than 30 minutes, it’s ideal for busy weeknights. And doesn’t compromise on flavour! Read on for the easy step by step recipe and lots of tips…

Easy balsamic chicken

Gorgeous hot Summer days means it’s time to dust off those lighter midweek meals. This tasty garlic balsamic chicken, with a fresh herb couscous, is perfect for when you don’t want anything heavy! It’s quick and easy, so no need to keep the stove on for long. And it packs some serious flavour.

Just like one pot pesto chicken, there’s no need to switch on the oven either. Ideal for hot weather!

If you struggle to think of midweek meals, and find the whole thing a chore – check out how to plan 5 midweek meals in less than 10 minutes. It’s packed with tons of tips and some seriously helpful freebies!

What pairs with balsamic chicken?

In this balsamic chicken recipe, it’s teamed up with a light fresh herb and spring onion couscous. This is ideal for hot days, as all you need to do is boil the kettle! No oven or stove tops required.

Other sides that pair very well with balsamic chicken are caprese salad, crushed potatoes and potato salad.

Should I marinade my chicken?

Marinading chicken is a wonderful cooking technique. And allows those lovely fragrant flavours to penetrate deep into the meat. Like in this juicy chargrilled lime chicken for example.

To speed things up in this balsamic chicken recipe however, we skip marinading. And instead go straight to reducing the sauce instead. This is another great technique to boost flavour.

Ingredients and substitutions

Confused about what ingredients to buy? Not sure about a substitution? Here’s what you need to know…

For the couscous

• Couscous – Any dried couscous will work. You can even use giant couscous, but you may need to follow the packet instructions to prepare it.
• Butter – I like to use good quality salted butter in cooking. You really do taste the difference.
• Chicken Stock – Stock pots are my go to. Although cubes, fresh and homemade all work great too!
• Parsley – Fresh parsley works best here. It adds a flavour element that dried just doesn’t reach.
• Spring Onion – It’s subtle flavour lends great to a ‘no cook’ side. If you only have red or brown onions, dice and soak in ice water for 10 minutes to reduce the harshness.
• Almonds – Flaked almonds have the perfect texture, and add a lovely crunch to an otherwise soft dish. Walnuts would also work.
• Lemon – As we’re using the zest in the couscous and juice in the chicken, you need a fresh lemon. Unwaxed is best if you can get them. Size doesn’t really matter.

For the balsamic chicken

• Chicken – You need good quality skinless, boneless chicken breasts for this dish. For a cheaper alternative, you can use thighs. They actually have more flavour, and tend to be more juicy.
• Oil – In a dish like this, you can often taste the flavour of the oil in the end result. A good quality olive oil tastes lovely. But sunflower or rice bran would also be good.
• Balsamic – Being a key element in this dish, a good balsamic vinegar is vital. It can be expensive, so keep your eye out for special offers, and grab yourself a bargain.
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic. Not old garlic that’s past it’s best. Frozen is a brilliant, time saving alternative.
• Honey – I always have runny honey in my cupboards, so tend to use that. Do experiment and try others if you have them though! You might hit the honey balsamic chicken jackpot.

Recipe tips and troubleshooting

Here are tips you’ll find helpful when making this recipe.

• Can’t afford chicken breasts? Use thighs instead. They’re much cheaper, and often taste/cook better due to the extra fat.
• Be careful when flattening your chicken. Don’t hit it too hard, or you can tear the meat completely apart.
• Make sure you season both sides of the chicken before you start cooking.
• Keep a close eye on the balsamic reduction (sauce). You will need to stir it often, especially towards the end. To ensure it doesn’t catch on the bottom.
• Read the recipe all the way through, and prepare your ingredients before you begin. It will help prevent silly, frustrating mistakes!

Time management

Have limited time? Struggle with recipe timings? Or juggling around other things? Here’s some time managing info to make your life easier.

This easy balsamic chicken recipe only takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. The ingredients will take about 5 mins to prepare. Then the couscous takes around 10 mins, this can go on in the background while you cook the chicken. The chicken itself will take approximately 10-12 mins, and the reduction of the sauce a further 5 mins.

You can’t really prepare or make anything in advance with this one. Fresh is definitely best! But 30 mins is a pretty speedy meal anyway.

If you like this recipe…

…you might also like:

• Creamy mustard chicken
• One pot tomato chicken
• Juicy air fryer chicken breast recipe

Easy Balsamic Chicken with Couscous – Step by Step Picture Recipe

(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to Serve 2

For the couscous

• 90g (1/2 Cup) Couscous
• 1 tbsp Butter
• Salt & Pepper
• 260ml (1 Cup) Chicken Stock – reserve 60ml for the Chicken
• 1 heaped tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 4 Spring Onions, sliced
• 3 tbsp Flaked Almonds, roughly chopped
• Zest of 1 Lemon

For the balsamic chicken

• 2 x Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 60ml (1/4 Cup) Chicken Stock – reserved from the Couscous
• 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
• 1 large Garlic Clove, minced
• 1 tsp Honey

Essential equipment

• Large Bowl
• Fork
• Large Frying Pan
• Cling Film (Plastic Food Wrap) or Baking Paper
• Rolling Pin
• Small Plate
• Tin Foil

Instructions

First, place the couscous (90g | 1/2 Cup) into a large bowl. Then add the butter (1 tbsp) and season generously with salt and pepper.

Pour in 200ml (3/4 Cup) of the chicken stock (reserve 60 ml | 1/4 Cup for the chicken). Then stir briefly with a fork, cover with cling film and set aside while we get on with the chicken.

Place a large frying pan over a medium heat.

Then lay the chicken breasts ( x 2 skinless boneless) between two sheets of cling film or baking paper. Gently hit with a rolling pin to flatten slightly. You’re aiming for them to be an even thickness from one end to the other. (About 2cm thick.)

Season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.

Next, add the butter (1 tbsp) and olive oil (1/2 tbsp) to the pan and allow to melt/heat up.

Then carefully lay both chicken breasts into the pan. Cook for 5-6 mins on each side, until golden and cooked through.

Transfer the cooked chicken to a small plate, cover with foil and leave to rest.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. With the chicken juices still in the pan over a medium heat, add in the reserved chicken stock (60ml | 1/4 Cup), balsamic vinegar (2 tbsp), freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 tbsp), minced garlic (1 x large clove) and honey (1 tsp).

Bring to the boil and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes. Until it resembles a sticky glaze. You will need to stir often to prevent it from burning.

Back to the couscous! Remove the cling film and fluff it up with a fork.

Then stir through the fresh parsley (1 x heaped tbsp), spring onion (x 4 sliced), flaked almonds (3 tbsp rough chopped) and lemon zest (of x 1 lemon).

Finally, divide the couscous and chicken between two serving plates, and enjoy!

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Continue to Content

Balsamic Chicken with Herby Couscous - Printable Recipe

Yield: 2

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This speedy balsamic chicken with herby couscous is made in less than 30 minutes, and doesn't compromise on flavour! A perfect midweek meal.

Print

Ingredients

For the couscous

• 90g (1/2 Cup) Couscous
• 1 tbsp Butter
• Salt & Pepper
• 260ml (1 Cup) Chicken Stock – reserve 60ml for the Chicken
• 1 heaped tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped
• 4 Spring Onions, sliced
• 3 tbsp Flaked Almonds, roughly chopped
• Zest of 1 Lemon

For the balsamic chicken

• 2 x Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 60ml (1/4 Cup) Chicken Stock – reserved from the Couscous
• 2 tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 tbsp Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
• 1 large Garlic Clove, minced
• 1 tsp Honey

Essential equipment

• Large Bowl
• Fork
• Large Frying Pan
• Cling Film (Plastic Food Wrap) or Baking Paper
• Rolling Pin
• Small Plate
• Tin Foil

Instructions

1. Put the couscous into a large bowl and add the butter, salt and pepper, and chicken stock. Stir briefly, cover with cling film and set to one side.
2. Place a frying pan over a medium heat. Sandwich the chicken between cling film and hit gently with a rolling pin to even the thickness to approx 2cm. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
3. Add the butter and oil to the hot pan. Let melt/heat then add the flattened chicken. Cook for 5-6 mins on each side, until golden and cooked through.
4. Transfer to a plate, cover with foil and leave to rest.
5. Add the reserved stock, balsamic, lemon juice, garlic and honey to the hot pan and stir well. Bring to the boil then simmer for 5 mins until reduced to a sticky glaze. Stir frequently.
6. Remove the cling film from the couscous and fluff up with a fork.
7. Add the parsley, spring onion, flaked almonds and lemon zest. Mix thoroughly.
8. Divide the couscous between two plates, and serve along with the balsamic chicken.

Notes

See the main post for a more detailed, step by step picture recipe.

Be sure to read the sections Ingredients and Substitutions, Recipe Tips and Troubleshooting and Time Management for lots of helpful information before you begin making this recipe. You can find them in the main body of this post.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 555Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 137mgSodium: 595mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 4gSugar: 10gProtein: 46g

Nutritional information on kitchenmason.com should only be used as a general guideline, I am not a certified nutritionist. Please always check labels for allergens where applicable.

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Other tasty chicken recipes

• Chicken satay stir fry
• Chicken with pesto and mozzarella

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