Moroccan Chicken Couscous with Onions & Raisins
Moroccan Chicken Couscous with Onions and Raisins is a traditional dish that perfectly balances sweet and savoury flavours, with tender chicken, fluffy couscous, and caramelized onions. This recipe is enriched with warm spices like cinnamon, turmeric, and ras el hanout, creating a truly comforting meal that’s bursting with flavour. The key to an authentic taste lies in steaming the couscous twice, which gives it an airy texture, and simmering the chicken in a spiced broth, allowing the flavours to infuse deeply. Topped with sweet onions and raisins, this dish is a beautiful representation of Moroccan culinary traditions. Follow these steps to bring a taste of Morocco to your table.
Equipment
- 1 couscous steamer
Ingredients
For the Couscous:
- 300 g couscous
- 400 ml water
- 15 ml sunflower oil
- 3 g salt
For the Second Steam:
- 100 ml water
- 15 ml sunflower oil
For the Chicken Mixture:
- 90 ml olive oil
- 300 g yellow onion chopped
- 15 g fresh coriander chopped
- 15 g fresh parsley chopped
- 950 g chicken whole or cut into 4
- 2 garlic cloves grated
- 1 tbsp salt to taste
- 2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 2 tsp ras el hanout
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1000 ml water
- 15 g honey optional
- 150 g chickpeas cooked
For the Onion Mixture:
- 400 g yellow onion sliced
- 15 g honey
- 15 g sugar
- 200 ml chicken broth reserved from cooking
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 50 g raisins
Instructions
- Prepare the Couscous (First Steam): Place the couscous in a large, deep bowl. Add 400 ml of water, 15 ml of sunflower oil, and salt. Mix thoroughly with your hands, ensuring the couscous is evenly moistened. Let it sit for 12 minutes or until all the water is absorbed.
- Steam the Couscous: Transfer the couscous to the top part of a couscous steamer and cover it with a tea towel to prevent excess moisture from dripping in. Steam for 35-40 minutes.
- Prepare the Chicken Mixture: Place 150 g of yellow onion, parsley, and coriander in a chopper and finely chop. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the remaining 150 g of chopped onion, chicken legs, salt, turmeric, ginger, coriander powder, onion powder, garlic powder, ras el hanout, cinnamon powder, and the chopped herb mixture. Stir well to coat the chicken in spices and cook for 3-4 minutes.
- Simmer the Chicken: Add water to the pan and increase the heat to high. Once the mixture starts bubbling, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer for 45-55 minutes until the chicken is tender. Add honey, cane sugar, and chickpeas, mixing well. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes.
- Second Steam for the Couscous: Once the first steam is complete, place the couscous in a bowl. Add 100 ml of water and 15 ml of sunflower oil, mixing until the couscous absorbs the water. Return the couscous to the steamer, cover with the tea towel, and steam for another 15-20 minutes.
- Prepare the Onion Mixture: Peel and slice the remaining yellow onions into half rings. Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add the onions, and cook until the edges turn golden brown. Add cane sugar, honey, chicken juice, cinnamon powder, salt, and raisins. Stir well and cook for 15-20 minutes until the onions are caramelized.
- Assemble the Dish: Place the steamed couscous in a deep bowl and add chicken juice to taste, mixing it in gradually to avoid over-saturating. Spread the couscous on a large serving plate, arranging the chicken legs, chickpeas, and caramelized onion mixture on top.