Chicken with cous cous

Let's make chicken with couscous

Prep time
15 minutes
Cooking time
35 minutes

1 large courgette

1 red pepper

1 yellow pepper

1 medium red onion

1 small sweet potato

2 cloves garlic

3-4 chicken thighs

1 tbsp oil

200g couscous

300 ml (1⁄2 pint) boiling water

Handful of fresh mint or coriander

Juice of 1⁄2 orange, pips removed

Chopping board

Knife

Vegetable peeler (or use knife)

Bowl

Baking tray

Measuring jug

Chicken with couscous

Put the oven on to gas mark 5 (190°C/375°F) so it can heat up. Cut the courgette into small pieces. Cut the peppers in half, take out the seeds and cut into small pieces. Peel the onion and sweet potato, cut into small pieces. Put the vegetables and the garlic cloves (still in their skins) with the chicken onto a lightly greased baking tray; drizzle the oil over them. Roast in the oven for 35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

Chicken with vegetables

Meanwhile, put the couscous into a bowl, and pour the boiling water over it. Put a plate on top and leave for the couscous to absorb the water (10-15 minutes). Finely chop the mint or coriander.

Couscous

Once the vegetables and chicken are cooked, remove from the oven and cut the cooked chicken into small pieces, taking care to remove any bones and gristly bits. Fluff up the couscous with a fork, squeeze the garlic out of its skin and add to the couscous along with the vegetables, herbs and chicken. Squeeze the orange juice into the couscous, and mix everything together.

Chicken with couscous
Serving suggestions
  • Babies enjoy exploring the texture of the couscous
  • Cut vegetables into stick shapes before cooking to serve as finger food
  • As a fruity alternative (though not for babies), add chopped dried apricots, raisins and chopped grapes instead of the vegetables
  • Vegetarian alternative: add a large (400g) tin of drained chickpeas (in water) to the couscous instead of the cooked chicken. (Babies may need these mashed)
  • Leftovers can be kept in the fridge and served cold the next day as a snack. (Cooked couscous must be refrigerated within an hour of cooking and eaten within 24 hours)
Suggested recipes
Chicken goujons
Chicken goujons

Great finger food - keep them in the fridge and serve them cold in lunchboxes

Chicken stir fry
Chicken stir fry

Try using other vegetables like mushrooms, pak choi, broccoli, mange tout or sugar snap peas