How about a meal with 5 minutes of on the stove time? (Lets you keep the air conditioning bill in check)  Tastes great?  And takes about 35 minutes start to finish?

What’s Charmoula?  Its a spicy Moroccan marinade or sauce with paprika, cumin and garlic. Cilantro, lemon and tomato round out the flavors. This is an easy sauce to make in your food processor.

I use smoked chicken with this.  The spicy flavor of the Charmoula pairs well with the smokey chicken.  My husband smokes boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 8-10 lbs at a time).  We have a few pieces for dinner with a good salad and then chop up the rest and freeze in quart bags.  Like we do with our grilled chicken. A few minutes in the microwave to thaw is all you need.

I make couscous with chicken stock.  Doesn’t take long to bring a can of stock to boil (2-4 minutes).  One minute of cook time and then off goes the stove. 🙂  I use fresh sweet peppers and sugar snap peas.  No cooking.  They are cool, sweet, and crunchy.

Pour the Charmoula over the chopped veggies and smoked chicken.  Toss to coat and serve over the couscous.  My oldest son gives this a 9.  Change the veggies if you like.  This is delicious and makes a great packed lunch.  No need to heat!

You’ll need:  for 5 ample servings

1-14.5 oz can of low sodium chicken stock (or your homemade stock)

1 cup, 2 Tbs of couscous

2 cups of chopped smoked chicken

1 1/2 cups of chopped sweet peppers

1 1/2 cups of sugar snaps peas sliced into 1 inch pieces

Charmoula sauce

2 Tbs ground cumin

1 1/2 Tbs ground coriander

2 tsp paprika (sweet)

4 large cloves garlic (about 2 Tbs) sliced

1 cup fresh cilantro

1 Tbs  sundried tomato jam (how to make your own here)

1 cup fresh grape tomatoes  (2/3 cup of salsa will work in a pinch)

1 tsp hot sauce (I use sriracha)

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

sunflower seeds, roasted (optional)

Thaw your chicken in the microwave, or chop up some deli chicken (whatever chicken you have as long as its cooked and you like it).  Warm the chicken if you like, before combining with the remaining ingredients.  Dish is great either way!

In your food processor, add all the ingredients except lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper.  Combine lemon juice and oil in a small bowl.  Turn on the processor and pour the juice/oil in through the top opening.  Stop and scrap down the sides of the bowl and run again until well combined.  Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.  Set aside.

Bring the chicken stock to boil in a small sauce pan.  Add the couscous and cook for 1 minute.  Turn off the heat and allow sit for 5 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Chop up the fresh vegetables.

In a medium large bowl, combine chicken, vegetables and Charmoula sauce.  Toss to coat.  Serve over couscous with sunflower seeds on top.  Enjoy!