Couscous Pilaf with Chicken and Mushrooms Recipe

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Pearl couscous, which is larger than a sesame seed and smaller than a grain of rice, deserves an outsized role when you're cooking for two.

This product, also called toasted couscous or Israeli-style couscous, has a very appealing chewy texture and pleasant flavor.

And, although it's usually served as a starch instead of pasta, you may find pearl couscous especially convenient if you're cooking for a smaller household.

Unlike pasta that calls for bringing a large pot of water to the boil, pearl couscous can be prepared in a small pot with less water.

Pearl couscous is also versatile. You can use the ingredient in place of rice in a pilaf. You can even try preparing it risotto style.

Until recently, pearl couscous was difficult to find unless you shopped natural food stores. Now you'll find packaged pearl couscous in most supermarkets.

New to the shelf is a line of products, including Original Pearl Couscous, Tri-color Pearl Couscous and Whole Wheat Pearl Couscous from RiceSelect (www.riceselect.com).

The following recipe can use any form of pearl couscous, but it looks very attractive with tri-color couscous.

When this dish is just finished, it has the loose, creamy consistency of risotto. If you allow the dish to stand covered off the heat for five minutes, the couscous will soak up some of the broth.

Couscous Pilaf with Chicken and Mushrooms

Makes 2 servings.

Preparation time: 6 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 large shallot, chopped

2 cups sliced shiitake and/or oyster mushrooms

1 tablespoon butter

1 large boneless, skinless chicken breast half, cut into thin strips

1/2 cup tri-color pearl couscous

1/4 teaspoon dried, crushed thyme

1 cup hot chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in large skillet. Add garlic, shallot and mushrooms. Cook over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes, or until shallot and mushrooms are tender. Push vegetables aside (or remove if skillet is small). Add butter and melt.

Add chicken strips and brown, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Stir in couscous and thyme. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to toast the couscous. Add broth and scrape up any browned bits in skillet. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes or until couscous is tender. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Each serving (without added salt) has 345 calories; 15 grams total fat; 21 grams protein; 30 grams carbohydrates; 37 milligrams cholesterol; 422 milligrams sodium and 1 gram dietary fiber.

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Couscous Pilaf with Chicken and Mushrooms - Bev Bennett Recipes

(c) 2010 Bev Bennett Recipes