Creamy Lemon-Garlic Chicken Couscous Skillet + Green Beans
This easy chicken couscous skillet dinner is the ultimate simple, nourishing comfort food, complete with crisp veggies.
You could throw a spoonful of creamy ricotta on just about anything and I would eat it. But what if that something is a zesty, savory, garlicky chicken skillet dinner with crisp green beans and chewy, nutty Israeli couscous?
I would eat it for every meal. For days. It’s not a hypothetical — that’s exactly what I did after throwing this recipe together for the first time. As far as comfort food goes, it’s pretty darn healthy. You’ve even got a green vegetable in there!
(There’s a video tutorial for this recipe. Keep scrolling to watch it.)
This chicken couscous recipe feels light and bright thanks to the lemons, while the ricotta brings just a touch indulgence. The earthy flavors of fresh garlic and thyme bring a cozy, comforting dimension to this meal.
Sprinkle some parmesan and lemon zest on top, and you’ll really be in heaven! ? I’m also dying to try this with a nice, yolky soft-boiled egg. Mmmmmmm…
The Magic of a Chicken Skillet Dinner
Since everything is cooked in the same skillet for this chicken couscous recipe, cleanup is a breeze!
Cleanup aside, the biggest upside to one-pan cooking is that all the mouthwatering flavors mix together to create a more complex meal. After you cook the chicken breasts, you’ll add chicken stock to deglaze the pan and cook all of that tasty flavor into the couscous. Plus, the starchy liquid leftover from cooking your couscous makes for an extra creamy dish. Win-win!
Speaking of couscous, this recipe doesn’t call for the tiny, fluffy stuff you might be used to seeing. My personal preference is Israeli couscous (AKA pearl couscous) because it has more of a chewy bite to it. Israeli couscous also has more of a discernable wheaty, nutty flavor in my opinion.
If you’re looking to cut back on dairy, you can easily omit the ricotta. You might consider adding a glug or two of white wine or olive oil in its place. You can also easily make the meal vegetarian by skipping the chicken and subbing vegetable stock.
Chicken Skillet Dinner Ingredients
- Chicken breast
- Green beans
- Israeli couscous
- Chicken stock
- Garlic
- Lemons
- Ricotta
- Thyme
- Olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Optional: lemon zest and parmesan, for garnish
Instructions
In a large pan, add olive oil and chicken — watch out for oil splatter! Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove the chicken and set aside, leaving oil in the pan.
Return the pan to the heat, then add garlic, couscous and chicken stock to the pan. Cover and let simmer until couscous is tender and chewy.
Reduce heat and add chicken, green beans, juice of two lemons and thyme. Stir in ricotta, season with salt and pepper, and let cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the lemon juice to soak into the couscous.
Serve with parmesan, lemon slices, lemon zest or additional thyme, if desired.
Dig in!
You can also watch a video tutorial for this chicken couscous recipe on my Instagram page! Be sure to follow me so you don’t miss any other tutorials or updates.
Creamy Lemon-Garlic Chicken Couscous Skillet + Green Beans
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breast sliced into bite-sized chunks
- 2 c. green beans halved
- 1 c. Israeli/pearl couscous
- 2 ¼ c. chicken stock
- 3 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 lemons
- ⅔ c. ricotta
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 2 tbsp. fresh thyme or 2 tsp. dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: Parmesan and lemon zest for topping
Instructions
- In a large pan under medium-high heat, add olive oil and chicken. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the chicken, cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove chicken and set aside, leaving oil in the pan. Be careful not to splash yourself with hot oil.
- Return the pan to medium-high heat, then add garlic, couscous and chicken stock to the pan. Cover and let simmer for about 12 minutes, until couscous is tender and chewy.
- Reduce heat to low and add chicken, green beans, juice of two lemons and thyme. Stir in ricotta, season with salt and pepper, and let cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the lemon juice to soak into the couscous.
- Serve with parmesan, lemon slices, lemon zest and additional thyme, if desired.
Want more skillet dinners and sheet pan recipes?
Steak Skillet Dinner With Roasted Potatoes, Lemony Asparagus + Chimichurri
Paper-Baked Jalapeńo-Ginger White Fish With Zucchini
Baked Eggs With Goat Cheese In Marinara Sauce
Honey-Mustard Glazed Salmon With Roasted Broccoli (sauce prepared separately)
Miso Butter Baked Fish With Roasted Maple Carrots + Rosemary Potatoes (sauce prepared separately)
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Honolulu girl obsessed with farmers markets, eating, seasonal ingredients, eating, writing and eating. Read more about me here and get new recipes from me every week @feedthesoulblog.
