Best Apricot Couscous Recipes

APRICOT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the red onion, apricots and almonds and saute gently over low heat until translucent and slightly fragrant. Add the couscous then dump in the warm chicken broth. Stir with a fork to combine, add lemon zest and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes, then uncover and add the scallions, mint, and cilantro. Fluff again with a fork. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
• Serve family-style on a large platter and garnish with fresh cilantro.

APRICOT-CRANBERRY ISRAELI COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add Israeli couscous and stir occasionally until lightly browned and toasted, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Bring chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour over couscous and add orange juice. Stir in apricots, dried cranberries, and ginger. Bring back to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until liquid has been absorbed, 10 to 11 minutes. Fluff with a fork, garnish with chopped mint, and serve.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN WITH APRICOT COUSCOUS AND GREEN OLIVE SAUCE IN FLAT BREAD

Steps:

• To prepare the Moroccan Spice Mix for the Chicken: Combine the cinnamon stick, cloves, cayenne, cumin, fennel, coriander, and paprika in a dry skillet over low heat and toast for just a minute to release the fragrant oils; shake the pan so they don't scorch. In a spice mill or clean coffee grinder, grind the toasted spices together, with 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt and the brown sugar. (A word of advice: make sure you thoroughly wipe out your coffee grinder before you make coffee again - Moroccan spices taste great on chicken but horrible with coffee.)
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Rinse the chicken with cool water, inside and out, then pat it dry with paper towels. Massage the chicken skin with the spice rub; make sure you don't miss a spot. Season the inside of the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Stuff the lemons halves, cilantro, and garlic in the cavity and place the chicken in a roasting pan fitted with a rack. Fold the wing tips under the bird and tie the legs together with kitchen string. Drizzle the oil all over the chicken. If you have time, let the chicken marinate for 30 minutes to really get the flavors down deep into the meat. Roast the chicken for 1 hour; pop an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh; if it reads 160 degrees F, it's done. Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes so the juices can settle back into the meat. Remove and discard the skin from the chicken. Pull the chicken from the bone and shred the meat, with your fingers or 2 forks. Put the shredded chicken in a large bowl and squeeze the lemon halves that have cooked inside the bird over the meat to moisten.
• To prepare the Apricot Couscous: Put the couscous in a medium bowl; pour the water over it, stir with a fork to combine. Cover and let sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork. Put the apricots, almonds, green onions, mint, and cilantro on a cutting board and coarsely chop everything up; add this to the couscous. Add lemon juice, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
• To prepare the Green Olive Sauce: In a small skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Saute the shallots and chile over low heat for 8 minutes until caramelized, then scrape into a food processor. Add the olives, parsley, vinegar, lemon juice, and 1/2 cup of oil; puree a good 3 minutes until totally smooth.
• To put the whole thing together: put the shredded chicken and couscous on the lavosh bread, add a few spoonfuls of the olive sauce, and roll the sandwich up. Wrap in foil and take the sandwich to a picnic, if desired.

CHICKEN AND APRICOT STEW WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking. Add the chicken, and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons oil.
• Reduce heat to medium; add onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add garlic; saute briefly. Add apricots, cinnamon, saffron, ginger, coriander, 2/3 cup water, and 2 tablespoons honey; season with salt.
• Return chicken to skillet; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until chicken is cooked through and liquid is thickened, 45 to 50 minutes. (If sauce has not thickened, transfer chicken to a platter and place it into an oven preheated to 200 degrees to keep warm. Reduce sauce to desired consistency.) Add remaining 2 tablespoons honey and salt to taste. Pour over chicken on platter.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring stock to a boil. Place couscous and butter in a medium bowl. Pour stock over couscous; cover with plastic wrap. Let stand until the couscous absorbs all the stock, about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, and season with salt. Stir in almonds. Serve couscous with chicken, and garnish with sesame seeds.

OLIVE, APRICOT, AND PISTACHIO COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Bring water, salt, and butter to a boil in a small saucepan. Add apricots, olives, and couscous, swirling pan to submerge ingredients. Cover, and remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir with fork, then fold in pistachios and lemon juice. Serve immediately.

APRICOT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan add 1 TBL extra-virgin olive oil, when it is hot add the red onion, almonds and apricots and saute gently over low heat until translucent and slightly fragrant.
• Add the couscous then dump in the warm chicken broth. Stir with a fork to combine. Add lemon zest and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork again.
• Coarsely chop the green onions, mint and cilantro; add this to the couscous. Add lemon juice, drizzle with olive oil, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.

APRICOT-GLAZED CHICKEN BREASTS WITH ALMOND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Set oven control to broil. Spray rack in broiler pan with cooking spray. To flatten each chicken breast, place between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper. Working from center, gently pound chicken with rolling pin or flat side of meat mallet until 1/4 inch thick.
• In small bowl, mix garlic powder, pepper and ground red pepper. Sprinkle on both sides of chicken; place on rack in pan.
• Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat 5 to 7 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink in center. Brush with half of apricot preserves; broil 1 minute longer or until preserves are bubbly. Brush with remaining preserves before serving.
• Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat broth and butter to boiling. Stir in couscous and almonds. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with fork before serving with glazed chicken.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN SOUP WITH APRICOT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• SOUP:.
• Sauté onion in oil in a large pot over medium heat until onion is soft, 5 minutes.
• Add gingerroot, garlic, paprika, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric, nutmeg, and pepper flakes.
• Cook 1 minute.
• Deglaze pot with wine, reduce until liquid is nearly evaporated.
• Stir in broth, chicken, chickpeas, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer soup for 10 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Garnish soup with cilantro and almonds.
• Serve with Apricot Couscous and E N J O Y!
• APRICOT COUSCOUS:.
• Bring water honey, oil, lemon juice, zest and salt to a boil in a saucepan.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in couscous and apricots: cover and let stand until water is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
• Fluff couscous with a fork before serving with soup.

CURRIED APRICOT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, saute onion in butter. Stir in the broth, apricots and curry powder. Bring to a boil. Stir in couscous. , Cover and remove from the heat; let stand for 5-10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.

SLOW COOKER MOROCCAN BRISKET WITH RED ONIONS AND APRICOT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Arrange onion wedges and parsnips in bottom of slow cooker. Season beef all over with salt and black pepper. In a small bowl, combine coriander, cumin, cinnamon, garlic powder, and nutmeg. Rub spice mixture all over beef. Arrange beef over onions and parsnips in slow cooker. Arrange apricots around beef.
• In a small bowl, whisk together wine, broth and honey. Pour mixture over beef and vegetables. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.
• Cook couscous according to package directions. Serve beef, vegetables and apricots over couscous. Pour over extra sauce from slow cooker and top with cilantro.

MINTED APRICOT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a 3-quart saucepan bring water, oil, honey, and cumin to a boil and stir in couscous. Immediately remove pan from heat and let couscous stand, covered, 5 minutes. Seed cucumber and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Pit apricots and cut into 1/4-inch dice. Fluff couscous with a fork and stir in cucumber, apricots, mint, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or chilled.

BRICK CHICKEN WITH APRICOT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Toast cumin, coriander and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over low heat until fragrant. In a clean spice grinder or coffee grinder, blend spices until fine. Add the toasted spices to a bowl with paprika and cayenne. Season with kosher salt. Stir in the olive oil and lemon juice.
• Prepare chicken by splitting it down the back and removing the backbone, breast bone and rib cage. Lay the chicken out flat and rub the blended spices all over. Marinate for up to 4 hours or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Heat a large cast iron skillet (or other heavy oven-proof pan) over medium-high heat. When hot, add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil and place the chicken skin side down in the pan. Cover it with a second cast iron pan (you could also use a more traditional foil-wrapped brick) immediately so the skin doesn't have time to contract. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until chicken is golden brown and has a nice crust. Finish cooking in the oven for a further 20 to 25 minutes. Internal temperature between the leg and thigh should register 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, when cooked through. Serve with Mint Yogurt Dressing and Apricot Couscous.
• While chicken is cooking, combine yogurt, cilantro, mint, green onions, honey, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste, in a blender. Blend until mixture is fully combined and has a smooth consistency.
• In a medium saucepan add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the red onion, apricots and almonds and saute gently over low heat until translucent and slightly fragrant. Add the couscous then dump in the warm chicken broth. Stir with a fork to combine, add lemon zest and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes, then uncover and add the scallions, mint, and cilantro. Fluff again with a fork. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine.
• Serve family-style on a large platter and garnish with fresh cilantro.

APRICOT-DIJON MUSTARD CHICKEN WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Combine apricot necar and mustard in a large skillet; bring to a boil. Add chicken; cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring chicken broth to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in couscous. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
• Turn chicken, cover and simmer an additional 5 to 8 minutes or until done.
• Place couscous on a serving platter and place chicken on top of it, reserving the cooking liquid in skillet. Keep couscous and chicken warm.
• Bring the reserved cooking liquid in the skillet to a boil; cook uncovered about 10 minutes or until it is reduced to one cup. Spoon the sauce over the chicken; sprinkle with minced basil.

LAMB SHANK TAGINE WITH APRICOT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a hot casserole, sear lamb shanks until brown and remove. Saute carrots, onions, ginger and garlic for five minutes. Add raisins and spices and quickly stir. Return lamb to pot and add olives, lemon and stock. Bring to a boil and simmer approximately 2 and 1/2 hours or until fork tender. Season with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste.
• Follow directions on box for preparation of couscous. Add all other ingredients.
• Yield: 6 to 8 servings

APRICOT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a medium-size baking dish, stir together couscous and apricots. Mix boiling water and salt in a measuring cup. Pour over couscous, and immediately cover the dish with foil. Let stand until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Remove foil, and fluff couscous with a fork. If you need to keep it warm, place couscous in a low oven until ready to serve.

APRICOT GLAZED CHICKEN AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• (To finely chop the apricots, spray kitchen shears with non stick spray, and snip them into small pieces.) Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium high heat, add chicken and cook for about 4 minutes or until just done.
• Don't overcook, you don't want chewy chicken.
• Combine preserves and vinegar in a bowl, then add the cooked chicken.
• Add the broth to the pan, scraping up the good stuff on the bottom, add the apricots.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat and cover, simmer 2 minutes.
• Stir in couscous, top with chicken mixture.
• Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes.
• Fluff couscous with a fork, and serve.

APRICOT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the red onion, apricots and almonds and saute gently over low heat until translucent and slightly fragrant. Add the couscous then dump in the warm chicken broth. Stir with a fork to combine, add lemon zest and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes, then uncover and add the scallions, mint, and cilantro. Fluff again with a fork. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine. Serve family-style on a large platter and garnish with fresh cilantro.

LAMB BROCHETTES WITH APRICOT & PINE NUT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Put the lamb in a bowl. Mix the harissa with 1 tbsp oil, pour over lamb, then mix well. Cut 4 apricots into quarters, add to bowl, mixing lightly, then season. Thread lamb and apricots alternately onto 8 skewers.
• Chop the remaining apricots, then put in a bowl with the couscous, spring onions and pine nuts. Pour over the boiling stock, cover and leave to stand for 10 mins until liquid is absorbed. Fluff up with a fork, add half the mint, the lemon juice, remaining oil and seasoning, then mix well.
• Stir remaining mint and seasoning into the yogurt, then scatter with extra mint if you like. Grill or barbecue skewers for 6-8 mins, turning, until meat is nicely browned. Serve with couscous and yogurt.

BRICK CHICKEN WITH APRICOT COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Toast cumin, coriander and cinnamon in a medium saucepan over low heat until fragrant. In a clean spice grinder or coffee grinder, blend spices until fine. Add the toasted spices to a bowl with paprika and cayenne. Season with kosher salt. Stir in the olive oil and lemon juice. Prepare chicken by splitting it down the back and removing the backbone, breast bone and rib cage. Lay the chicken out flat and rub the blended spices all over. Marinate for up to 4 hours or overnight. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat a large cast iron skillet (or other heavy oven-proof pan) over medium-high heat. When hot, add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil and place the chicken skin side down in the pan. Cover it with a second cast iron pan (you could also use a more traditional foil-wrapped brick) immediately so the skin doesn't have time to contract. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until chicken is golden brown and has a nice crust. Finish cooking in the oven for a further 20 to 25 minutes. Internal temperature between the leg and thigh should register 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, when cooked through. Serve with Mint Yogurt Dressing and Apricot Couscous. Mint Yogurt Dressing: While chicken is cooking, combine yogurt, cilantro, mint, green onions, honey, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper, to taste, in a blender. Blend until mixture is fully combined and has a smooth consistency. Apricot Couscous: In a medium saucepan add a 2 count of extra-virgin olive oil. Add the red onion, apricots and almonds and saute gently over low heat until translucent and slightly fragrant. Add the couscous then dump in the warm chicken broth. Stir with a fork to combine, add lemon zest and cover. Let sit for 10 minutes, then uncover and add the scallions, mint, and cilantro. Fluff again with a fork. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Toss gently to combine. Source: Tyler Florence - Food Network