Israeli Couscous with Chicken and Peas

With back-to-school right around the corner (where did the summer go?!?), weekdays are about to get a lot busier and our afternoons and evenings will be filled with homework, swim lessons, Daisy Girl Scouts and more activities!  So a quick and easy dinner like this Israeli Couscous with Chicken and Peas is a perfect option when you want something delicious but don’t have a lot of time.

Don’t be fooled by the simple ingredients in this dish – this Israeli couscous with chicken and peas packs a ton of flavor!  The Israeli (or pearl) couscous is cooked in a combination of chicken broth, lemon juice and lemon zest creating a simple and delicious sauce.  Then shredded and chopped rotisserie chicken is added along with some thawed frozen peas, fresh chopped scallions, and grated parmesan cheese – and you’re done!

This is such a simple dish – but the combination of the lemon juice and scallions add such bright, fresh flavors to the sauce and it really elevates this Israeli couscous with chicken and peas to something special that your family will love!

Although this recipe is written using Israeli couscous – any small pasta, like orzo, would work just as well – although we do love the firm texture of the Israeli couscous!  (We used a tri-color couscous here which is why you see some orange and green pasta in the photograph.)  Additionally, we’ve used a store-bought rotisserie chicken in this recipe – but any leftover cooked chicken will work in this recipe.  Just shred and chop it before adding in with the rest of the ingredients.

Adapted from The Food Network.

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Israeli Couscous with Chicken and Peas

• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 4 servings

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/3 cups Israeli (pearl) couscous
• 2 ½ cups chicken broth
• Zest of 2 large lemons
• Juice from 1 large lemon (about ¼ cup)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
• 4 scallions, finely sliced including both white and green parts
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 cups shredded and chopped cooked chicken (rotisserie cooked or other cooking method)

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Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Pour in the couscous and stirring frequently, cook until lightly toasted (about 2-3 minutes).
2. Add the chicken broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer about 8 minutes – until the couscous is al dente. (Note: You should have some of the cooking liquid remaining after the 8 minutes – you will use this for the sauce.)
3. Stir in the Parmesan cheese, scallions, peas and chicken and mix until well combined. Serve immediately with additional Parmesan cheese grated on top if desired.

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