Chicken with Couscous Salad and Yoghurt Pesto
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 60 min.
A salad bursting with flavors and textures. Its three components can prepared almost simultaneously the night before and put together in no time. An ideal candidate for your summer's day party. The finished dish appears a lot more complicated than it is. Just do not tell your guests!
Ingredients:
Yoghurt Pesto:
- 375 ml (about 3/4 cup) natural yoghurt
- 4 tbsp homemade or good quality store bought basil pesto
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint
- salt and pepper to taste
Roasted Chicken:
- 4 single chicken breasts, cleaned of all fat and gristle
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tbsp Spanish smoked paprika
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Couscous Salad:
- 250 gr (about 1 cup) instant couscous
- 60 ml (about 1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp red vine vinegar
- 2 medium size tomatoes seeded and cut into wedges
- 1/2 cucumber, seeded and cut into thin slices
- 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup fresh coriander and fresh mint
- juice of a 1/2 lemon
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
Mix all ingredients for the Yoghurt Pesto together. Taste for salt and pepper and set aside.
In a small bowl mix 2 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper, paprika, chopped garlic, cumin and turmeric. Rub mix all over chicken breasts. Heat he remaining olive oil in a saucepan over high heat. Brown chicken breasts all over. Place chicken breasts in oven and bake for 15 minutes or until juices run clear. Remove from oven and let rest for about 5 minutes.
Cook couscous according to package instructions. Fluff up with a fork. Put couscous in a large bowl and add all remaining ingredients (garlic, tomatoes, cucumber, onion, vinegar, coriander, mint and lemon). Mix well and season to taste. Add more lemon juice or olive oil if necessary. Set aside.
If you prepare the couscous the night before, omit the tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, coriander and mint. Mix them under just before serving, so they do not get soggy or wilt.
Slice chicken breasts and serve it with the couscous salad and yoghurt pesto on the side.