Chicken Couscous with Dried Fruit

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup couscous
• 2 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
• 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins

Directions

1. Blot the chicken well with paper towels, then sprinkle it with 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Set a large Dutch oven or another sturdy pot over medium-high heat, pour in 2 Tbs. of the oil, and warm it until it glints. Stir in the onion and garlic, cooking until they soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Scatter in the ras el hanout, coriander, and cinnamon, stirring until the onion is coated and the spices smell toasty, about 1 minute. Spoon everything onto a plate and put it aside.
2. Pour the remaining 1 Tbs. oil into the pot and heat it until glossy. Arrange the chicken in a single layer and let it cook over medium-high heat without fussing with it, turning it once midway, until browned in spots, about 5 minutes total.
3. While that cooks, warm the broth in a medium pan. Once it is hot, stir the saffron into 1/2 cup of the broth until dissolved, then reserve it. Put the onion mixture, along with any accumulated juices, back into the pot and mix it through the chicken. Pour in the saffron broth and loosen the browned bits from the pot’s bottom as it cooks. Add the remaining 1-1/2 cups broth. Bring everything up to a boil, then lower the heat so it simmers. Stir in the raisins and apricots, leave the lid slightly open, and cook, stirring now and then, until the chicken is done, about 20 minutes more.
4. Meanwhile, make the couscous as directed on the package, adding 1 Tbs. butter and 1 tsp. salt to the water. You can also use broth in place of the water. Leave it covered until you are ready to plate.
5. Stir the chickpeas, dates, and the remaining 1 Tbs. butter into the chicken mixture, and cook just until heated through, about 3 minutes.
6. Use a fork to loosen the couscous, then portion it onto 4 plates. Spoon the chicken mixture over the top, including some of the broth. Finish with the almonds and cilantro, and serve with the lemon wedges.