One-Pan Garlic Butter Chicken Couscous (Printable Version)

Tender chicken in garlic butter with fluffy couscous, ready in 35 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
04 - 1 teaspoon paprika
05 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

→ Garlic Butter

06 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 4 cloves garlic, minced

→ Couscous

08 - 1 1/2 cups couscous
09 - 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - 1/2 cup frozen peas
12 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
13 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
14 - 2 tablespoons olive oil

# How to Prepare:

01 - Pat chicken breasts dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, and paprika. Lightly dust with flour, shaking off excess.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken breasts and sear until golden brown on both sides, approximately 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
03 - Reduce heat to medium. Add butter to the pan, then stir in minced garlic. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
05 - Stir in couscous, cherry tomatoes, and peas. Return chicken breasts to the pan, nestling them into the couscous mixture.
06 - Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes until couscous is tender and chicken is cooked through.
07 - Remove from heat. Sprinkle with lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped parsley.
08 - Fluff the couscous with a fork, slice the chicken if desired, and serve immediately.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, which means fewer dishes staring at you from the sink later.
  • The couscous soaks up all those golden, garlicky pan juices, so every bite tastes like pure comfort.
  • It's fast enough for a weeknight but impressive enough to serve to people whose opinions actually matter to you.
02 -
  • If your chicken breasts are thick, pound them to an even 1-inch thickness so they cook through at the same rate as the sear develops—I learned this the hard way with dry chicken and disappointed dinner guests.
  • Don't skip the flour dusting; it creates the texture difference between just cooked chicken and restaurant-quality golden chicken.
  • The pan residue at the bottom (fond) is liquid gold—never waste it by skipping the deglazing step.
03 -
  • Use an instant-read thermometer to check that the chicken reaches 165°F internally—this removes all guesswork and guarantees juicy meat every single time.
  • Let the pan rest for a minute after removing it from the heat before serving; this allows the couscous to fully absorb the remaining liquid and firm up slightly.
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