Crispy chicken and couscous with carrots
I have come back to this combination several times when I want something quick for lunch or dinner and don't feel like frying. I always have some chicken in the fridge and usually find a bit of couscous and some vegetables. The chicken becomes crispy without the need to fry it, and the side dish is quite simple and goes with anything. This time I used drumsticks, but I've also made it with breast or boneless thighs.
Quick info
Total time: about 70 minutes
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Baking time: 60 minutes
Servings: 2-3, depending on how much each person eats
Difficulty: easy
Recipe suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
For crispy chicken:
- 4-6 chicken drumsticks or pieces of thighs/breast, as preferred
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- sweet paprika
- hot paprika (optional, if you want it a bit spicy)
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 egg
- crushed cornflakes (enough to cover the pieces of meat)
- 2 tablespoons oil (for greasing the tray or sautéing the vegetables)
For couscous with carrots:
- 100 g couscous
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 1 carrot (sliced)
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 cups of water
Preparation method
1. Prepare the chicken. Wash the pieces of meat and let them drain well on a paper towel or in a sieve. Season all sides with salt, pepper, sweet paprika, and, if you want, a bit of hot paprika.
2. Put the flour in a deep plate, the beaten egg in another, and the crushed cornflakes in a third plate. Take each piece of chicken and first dip it in the flour, then in the egg, and finally in the cornflakes. I try to press the cornflakes onto the meat to stick well and create an even crust.
3. Prepare a baking tray. You can line it with baking paper or grease it with a bit of oil so the chicken doesn't stick.
4. Place the pieces of meat on the tray, leaving space between them. Put the tray in the preheated oven at medium heat (180°C if you have an electric oven). Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the pieces over and bake for another 30 minutes. The crust becomes crispy, and the meat remains juicy.
5. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the couscous. Finely chop the onion, and slice the carrot, but you can also grate it if you prefer.
6. Put 2 tablespoons of oil in a pot. Sauté the onion for a few minutes over low heat, then add the carrot. After another 2-3 minutes, add the couscous. Sauté them together for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.
7. Pour 2 cups of water over the mixture. Put a lid on and let it simmer over low heat until the vegetables are cooked, and the couscous has absorbed almost all the water. Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. The chicken and couscous are ready around the same time. Serve immediately while hot.
Why I make this recipe often
It's the kind of recipe I make when I want to cook quickly, but still want something unusual. The cornflakes give the chicken a crispy crust without frying it, and the couscous with carrots is quick, filling, and doesn't require complicated ingredients. It also makes a good lunch the next day if there are leftovers.
Tips and variations
Tips
- The cornflakes should be crushed, not powdered, so they stick better to the meat.
- For a thicker crust, you can dip the meat twice in egg and flakes, but usually, a single pass is sufficient.
- If using chicken breast, cut it into strips so it cooks as quickly as the drumsticks.
- Don't add too much water to the couscous; it should only cover and be absorbed, so it doesn't turn mushy.
Substitutions
- You can use boneless thighs instead of drumsticks or even chicken breast.
- If you don't have cornflakes, breadcrumbs will work too, but it won't be as crispy.
- The carrot can be replaced with zucchini or peas, depending on what you have on hand.
Variations
- Add a bit of smoked paprika to the chicken for a different flavor.
- You can add chopped parsley to the couscous at the end if you want something fresh and green.
- For an oriental touch to the couscous, add a little cumin or turmeric.
Serving ideas
- It's suitable both warm and as a packed meal, especially if you have leftovers from dinner.
- It goes well with a simple summer salad or just with cucumbers.
- You can also serve it with a yogurt sauce on the side if you want something refreshing.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use another type of meat for this recipe?
Yes, it works with any chicken part – drumsticks, thighs, breast, even wings. Just adjust the baking time if the pieces are very large or very small.
2. Can I make the couscous just with water, without vegetables?
Yes, but it will be simpler in taste. The onion and carrot add a nice flavor, but couscous can also be made with just water, salt, and pepper if that's what you have on hand.
3. Can I make the chicken without egg?
You can try to stick the flakes to the wet meat, but the crust won't turn out as well. The egg helps with adhesion and the crispy texture.
4. Can I prepare the chicken in advance and keep it in the fridge?
Yes, you can season and coat the pieces with flour, egg, and cornflakes, then leave them in the fridge for a few hours until you want to put them in the oven.
5. Does the couscous stay good the next day?
Yes, but it's tastier fresh. It keeps well in the fridge, but it becomes a bit drier after reheating, so you can add 1-2 tablespoons of water when reheating it.
Nutritional values
Estimate for one serving (1/3 of the recipe): about 400-450 kcal, of which protein 30-35 g, carbohydrates 45-50 g, fats 12-15 g. Oven-baked chicken has less fat than fried, and couscous provides fiber and complex carbohydrates. These are just estimates, depending on how much chicken and how many cornflakes you actually use.
Storage and reheating
The crispy chicken is best fresh, immediately after coming out of the oven. If there are leftovers, you can keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days in a covered container. Upon reheating, the crust won't be as crispy, but it's still good. The couscous also lasts 1-2 days in the fridge; if it dries out, add a bit of water when reheating. The recipe doesn't lend itself well to freezing because the texture of the crust is lost.
I have come back to this combination several times when I want something quick for lunch or dinner and don't feel like frying. I always have some chicken in the fridge and usually find a bit of couscous and some vegetables. The chicken becomes crispy without the need to fry it, and the side dish is quite simple and goes with anything. This time I used drumsticks, but I've also made it with breast or boneless thighs.
Quick info
Total time: about 70 minutes
Preparation time: 10-15 minutes
Baking time: 60 minutes
Servings: 2-3, depending on how much each person eats
Difficulty: easy
Recipe suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
For crispy chicken:
- 4-6 chicken drumsticks or pieces of thighs/breast, as preferred
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- sweet paprika
- hot paprika (optional, if you want it a bit spicy)
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 egg
- crushed cornflakes (enough to cover the pieces of meat)
- 2 tablespoons oil (for greasing the tray or sautéing the vegetables)
For couscous with carrots:
- 100 g couscous
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 1 carrot (sliced)
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 cups of water
Preparation method
1. Prepare the chicken. Wash the pieces of meat and let them drain well on a paper towel or in a sieve. Season all sides with salt, pepper, sweet paprika, and, if you want, a bit of hot paprika.
2. Put the flour in a deep plate, the beaten egg in another, and the crushed cornflakes in a third plate. Take each piece of chicken and first dip it in the flour, then in the egg, and finally in the cornflakes. I try to press the cornflakes onto the meat to stick well and create an even crust.
3. Prepare a baking tray. You can line it with baking paper or grease it with a bit of oil so the chicken doesn't stick.
4. Place the pieces of meat on the tray, leaving space between them. Put the tray in the preheated oven at medium heat (180°C if you have an electric oven). Bake for 30 minutes, then turn the pieces over and bake for another 30 minutes. The crust becomes crispy, and the meat remains juicy.
5. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the couscous. Finely chop the onion, and slice the carrot, but you can also grate it if you prefer.
6. Put 2 tablespoons of oil in a pot. Sauté the onion for a few minutes over low heat, then add the carrot. After another 2-3 minutes, add the couscous. Sauté them together for another 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.
7. Pour 2 cups of water over the mixture. Put a lid on and let it simmer over low heat until the vegetables are cooked, and the couscous has absorbed almost all the water. Finally, season with salt and pepper to taste.
8. The chicken and couscous are ready around the same time. Serve immediately while hot.
Why I make this recipe often
It's the kind of recipe I make when I want to cook quickly, but still want something unusual. The cornflakes give the chicken a crispy crust without frying it, and the couscous with carrots is quick, filling, and doesn't require complicated ingredients. It also makes a good lunch the next day if there are leftovers.
Tips and variations
Tips
- The cornflakes should be crushed, not powdered, so they stick better to the meat.
- For a thicker crust, you can dip the meat twice in egg and flakes, but usually, a single pass is sufficient.
- If using chicken breast, cut it into strips so it cooks as quickly as the drumsticks.
- Don't add too much water to the couscous; it should only cover and be absorbed, so it doesn't turn mushy.
Substitutions
- You can use boneless thighs instead of drumsticks or even chicken breast.
- If you don't have cornflakes, breadcrumbs will work too, but it won't be as crispy.
- The carrot can be replaced with zucchini or peas, depending on what you have on hand.
Variations
- Add a bit of smoked paprika to the chicken for a different flavor.
- You can add chopped parsley to the couscous at the end if you want something fresh and green.
- For an oriental touch to the couscous, add a little cumin or turmeric.
Serving ideas
- It's suitable both warm and as a packed meal, especially if you have leftovers from dinner.
- It goes well with a simple summer salad or just with cucumbers.
- You can also serve it with a yogurt sauce on the side if you want something refreshing.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use another type of meat for this recipe?
Yes, it works with any chicken part – drumsticks, thighs, breast, even wings. Just adjust the baking time if the pieces are very large or very small.
2. Can I make the couscous just with water, without vegetables?
Yes, but it will be simpler in taste. The onion and carrot add a nice flavor, but couscous can also be made with just water, salt, and pepper if that's what you have on hand.
3. Can I make the chicken without egg?
You can try to stick the flakes to the wet meat, but the crust won't turn out as well. The egg helps with adhesion and the crispy texture.
4. Can I prepare the chicken in advance and keep it in the fridge?
Yes, you can season and coat the pieces with flour, egg, and cornflakes, then leave them in the fridge for a few hours until you want to put them in the oven.
5. Does the couscous stay good the next day?
Yes, but it's tastier fresh. It keeps well in the fridge, but it becomes a bit drier after reheating, so you can add 1-2 tablespoons of water when reheating it.
Nutritional values
Estimate for one serving (1/3 of the recipe): about 400-450 kcal, of which protein 30-35 g, carbohydrates 45-50 g, fats 12-15 g. Oven-baked chicken has less fat than fried, and couscous provides fiber and complex carbohydrates. These are just estimates, depending on how much chicken and how many cornflakes you actually use.
Storage and reheating
The crispy chicken is best fresh, immediately after coming out of the oven. If there are leftovers, you can keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days in a covered container. Upon reheating, the crust won't be as crispy, but it's still good. The couscous also lasts 1-2 days in the fridge; if it dries out, add a bit of water when reheating. The recipe doesn't lend itself well to freezing because the texture of the crust is lost.