Recipes

Herbed Couscous with Chicken

Yield: 4 servings

Chicken of My Eye
Settling in for the winter doesn’t mean settling for flavorless, unhealthy meals. We crave food that "sticks to the ribs" in colder months, but there’s no reason you can’t make dishes that satisfy the senses while they satisfy the appetite. In this recipe, herbed whole-wheat couscous (a tiny pasta made from semolina flour) provides an aromatic and satisfying accompaniment to a hearty mix of vegetables now hitting their peak. They lend this dish a hefty protective punch of cancer-fighting organosulfides (leeks), carotenoids (Butternut squash) and isothiocyanates (Brussels sprouts).

Herbed Couscous with Chicken
1 cup thinly sliced leeks
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 cup quartered Brussels sprouts
2 cups peeled, bite-size cubes of butternut squash
2 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil
8 oz. Skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size chunks
1 1/2 cups fat-free, reduced sodium chicken broth, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup whole wheat couscous
2-4 tbsp. Minced herbs (blend of fresh sage, thyme, marjoram)
1/4 cup minced parsley

Sauté leeks, garlic, Brussels sprouts, and butternut squash in olive oil for 5 minutes. Add chicken and 1/4 cup chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked and veggies are tender. Stir in couscous. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups broth along with sage, thyme, and marjoram. Cover and simmer 5 more minutes or until liquid is completely absorbed. Adjust seasonings to taste. Stir in parsley

Per serving: 393 calories, 59 g. carbohydrates, 11 g. dietary fiber, 9 g. total fat (1 g. saturated fat), 24 g. protein, 268 mg. sodium.

Recipe from the American Institute for Cancer Research