I am currently away on vacation for a week. Here is a little post I prepared ahead of time.

In mid march, five friends of mine and I rented a cottage for the weekend up north. I had planned the menu with Johanne; one dinner was to be a Couscous. Well we were so busy or had lunch so late we never made the couscous. I volunteered to bring the ingredients home to freeze and have everyone over for dinner. The very Sunday I got back is when I broke my wrist. Also one of my friends was away for a couple of months working in Guatemala. Fast forward three and a half months, we finally had the Moroccan Couscous dinner.

I made one crucial change to the recipe. Instead of browning and baking the chicken I grilled on the BBQ. Johanne made it on her own as per the recipe. The grilled version was unique and had great flavor but if you bake it in the oven the chicken will  be a bit more moist and flavorful. Why not try both ways! Oh I have to say I found the leftovers better then when served right after making it.

Ξ Cinnamon Chicken with Couscous and Dried Fruit Ξ
from Epicurious, originally from Bon Appétit | December 2005

Ingredients
4 whole chicken legs
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon ground ginger, divided
1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup mixed chopped dried fruit (such as currants, apricots, and prunes)
1 14-ounce can low-salt chicken broth
1 cup couscous
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh mint, divided

My BBQ Chicken version

Preheat oven to 375°F. Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon ginger. Heat oil in large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook until skin is brown, about 8 minutes. Turn chicken and transfer skillet to oven. Roast chicken until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate; tent with foil.

Add onion to drippings in same skillet; sauté onion over medium-high heat until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add dried fruit and remaining 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon ginger; stir to coat. Add broth; bring to boil. Remove skillet from heat, stir in couscous and 1 teaspoon mint. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Season couscous to taste with salt and pepper.

Mound couscous on platter; place chicken atop couscous. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon mint and serve. Makes 4 servings.

Check out more Moroccan recipes here:

• Moroccan Corn Chickpea Salad
• Chicken Bastilla
• Tagine Berber