Saturdays with Rachael Ray: Quick Tagine-Style Chicken

I may be late to the party, but I've brought a great recipe. In fact, it is one of my top two favorite Rachael Ray recipes. It was everything I remembered it to be. Don't like prunes? I didn't think I would either. Don't leave them out without at least trying them first. I would also suggest topping with cilantro, if you're a fan.

Serving suggestions:

I've served this dish with smoked almonds stuffed in figs and a tomato/cucumber/onion salad tossed with a mild white vinegar. Quite honestly, you won't miss the vegetables with this dish.

Quick Tagine-Style Chicken
30-Minute Meals at Food Network
Servings: 4

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
4 cloves garlic, smashed beneath the flat of your knife with the heel of your hand, discard skins
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large bite-size pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons grill seasoning blend (recommended: Montreal Seasoning by McCormick) or coarse salt and coarse pepper
2 medium or 1 large yellow skinned onion, quartered and sliced
10 pitted prunes, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 cups good quality, low sodium chicken stock

Spice blend:
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon tumeric
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

Couscous:
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups couscous
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, eyeball it
2 scallions, finely chopped

Condiments:
Chopped cilantro leaves or flat-leaf parsley
Finely chopped scallions
Mango chutney

Directions:
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, in a slow stream, and add smashed garlic. Season the chicken with seasoning blend. Scatter chicken around the pan in an even layer. Cook chicken pieces 2 minutes on each side to brown, then add the onions, prunes, raisins and stock. Mix spices in a small dish and scatter over the pot. Cover and reduce to moderate heat. Cook 7 or 8 minutes, remove the lid and stir.

To prepare the couscous, bring chicken stock to a boil. Add couscous, extra-virgin olive oil and scallions and remove the couscous from the stove immediately. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork.

Uncover chicken and cook another 2 to 3 minutes to thicken slightly. Adjust the seasoning, to taste, and serve chicken on a bed of couscous. Garnish.

Saturdays with Rachael Ray is hosted by Deborah at Taste and Tell.  Join us!