EVERYDAY PACKED LUNCH
Chicken & vegetable couscous
A quick paprika chicken lunch with soft courgette, carrots and fluffy couscous.
- Serves
- 4 generously
- From scratch
- 30 min
- Morning with prep done
- 10–12 min
Ingredients
4 generous portions · metric quantities
- 600 g boneless skinless chicken thigh, cut into 2 cm pieces
- 300 g couscous
- 350 ml boiling low-salt chicken stock, or amount specified on couscous packet
- 250 g courgette, diced
- 200 g carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 20 ml olive oil
- 2 g sweet smoked paprika
- 10 g parsley
- 15 ml lemon juice
- 2 g salt, or to taste
- 60 ml water, plus extra for reheating
Method
Prepare the herbs
Bimby TM7 or knife
Put parsley in a dry mixing bowl, fit the lid and chop 3 sec / speed 7, without heat. Scrape out and reserve. For this small amount, a knife is equally practical.
Cook chicken and vegetables
Wide frying pan + lid
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 5 minutes, turning. Add carrot, courgette and paprika; stir for 2 minutes. Add 60 ml water, cover and cook over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and the largest chicken pieces reach 75°C for 30 seconds.
Hydrate the couscous
Heat-proof bowl + cover
While the chicken cooks, pour boiling stock over couscous, using the liquid ratio on the packet. Cover for the packet time, usually 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Combine
Mixing bowl
Fold chicken, vegetables and their juices into the couscous. Add parsley, lemon juice and salt to taste. Divide into four portions.
Kitchen notes
Contains wheat; check stock allergens. Vegetarian version: replace chicken with 600 g drained cooked chickpeas and use vegetable stock. Soften vegetables first, then add chickpeas for the last 5 minutes.
Recipe development draft; not yet kitchen-tested. Timings are guides: check texture and doneness. Bimby settings are manual settings, not an official Guided Cooking programme.