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Related recipes: Carrots, Citrus, Dairy Foods, Grains, Herbs, High Fiber, Main Dishes, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Nuts and Seeds, Onions, Poultry, Raisins, Rotisserie Chickens to the Rescue, Salads, Soups/Salads, Vegetables
Rotisserie chicken and couscous are a speedy match made in heaven. The chicken is ready to eat, and the couscous cooks in just a few minutes. Let this refreshing salad chill for about thirty minutes before serving so that the flavors have a chance to come together. Serve with pita bread or another favorite Middle Eastern flatbread.
Yield: 6 servings
Couscous
1 cup dry, plain, quick-cooking couscous
1 1/2 cups water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil
1 Tbs ground cinnamon
2 tsp finely grated orange zest
Dressing
1 (8 ounce) container plain yogurt (1 cup)
3/4 cup orange juice
1 cup firmly packed mint leaves (about 1 bunch), stems removed
Salad
1 1/2 cups coarsely shredded rotisserie chicken, skin removed
3 medium green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup already-shredded matchstick-size carrots
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 tsp salt
Couscous
Prepare the couscous according to the package directions, using the water, salt, and oil. Add the cinnamon and orange zest as soon as the moisture is absorbed. Fluff the couscous with a fork, scoop it into a medium bowl, and let cool until no steam rises when it is fluffed. While the couscous is cooling, make the dressing.
Dressing
Combine the yogurt, orange juice, and mint leaves in a food processor or blender and process until the yogurt and orange juice are combined and the mint is finely chopped.
Salad
Add the salad ingredients to the cooled couscous and toss well to combine. Do not stir the couscous, or the grains will stick together. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to combine. Do not stir. Chill for 30 minutes before serving.
Cooking Tip: Orange zest is the colorful part of the orange peel. Avoid the bitter white part or pith underneath. To grate, cover a four-sided box grater with plastic wrap and pull the orange down the side of the grater. Or use one of the new microplane zester-graters available in cookware stores.
Cooking Tip: For added flavor, toast the almonds. Place in a conventional or toaster oven at 350° F until fragrant and toasted, 5-7 minutes, stirring two or three times. Watch them carefully since they can go from nicely toasted to burned very quickly.
Nutrition Note: Nutrition Facts calculated using non-fat cheese.
Recipe courtesy of Rotisserie Chickens to the Rescue by Carla Fitzgerald Williams. Copyright © 2003 Carla Fitzgerald Williams. All Rights Reserved. Published by Hyperion. Available wherever books are sold.
Copyright © 2007 Healthnotes, Inc. All rights reserved. www.healthnotes.com
Learn more about Healthnotes, the company.
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The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications. Information expires September 2008.
