One-Pot Lemon Chicken Pearl Couscous with Spinach

Tender chicken breast, pearl couscous, spinach, garlic, lemon, and oregano come together in one skillet for a bright Mediterranean-inspired dinner in about 30 minutes.

Prep: 10 min · Cook: 20 min · Yield: 4 · Method: Stovetop

Ingredients

• 1.25 pounds chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1.5 cups pearl couscous
• 2.25 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 5 ounces baby spinach
• 1 large lemon
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper

Cooking instructions

1. Cut the chicken breasts into 1-inch pieces. Season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper. Zest the lemon, then cut it in half and squeeze 2 tablespoons juice; reserve the remaining lemon for serving. (about 5 min)
2. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer and cook until lightly browned and the thickest pieces reach 160°F, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate; it will finish cooking later. (about 5 min) — Medium-high
3. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and oregano and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the pearl couscous and toast until lightly golden, about 1 minute. (about 2 min) — Medium
4. Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cover and cook until the couscous is nearly tender, about 8 minutes, stirring once halfway through. (about 8 min) — Medium
5. Return the chicken and any accumulated juices to the skillet. Stir in the spinach, cover, and cook until the couscous is tender, the spinach is wilted, and the chicken reaches 165°F in the thickest pieces, about 3 to 4 minutes. (about 4 min) — Medium
6. Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Rest for 2 minutes, then serve with the reserved lemon cut into wedges. (about 2 min)