Moroccan-style Chicken Thighs with Minted Chickpea Couscous from The Slimming Foodie in Minutes

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

8 skinless chicken thigh fillets, excess fat trimmed away

2 red onions, cut into wedges

1 red pepper, finely sliced

1 yellow pepper, finely sliced

Spray oil

Lemon wedges, to serve

For the sauce

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange

Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon harissa paste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic granules

Pinch of salt

For the couscous

400g (14oz) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons dried mint

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

200g (7oz) wholewheat couscous

300ml (½ pint) boiling chicken stock

Mint leaves, to serve (optional)

Preheat the oven to 210°C/190°C fan (410°F), Gas Mark 6½.

Mix the sauce ingredients together in a bowl.

Place the chicken thigh fillets, red onion wedges and peppers into a baking tray or roasting tin and spoon the sauce over everything. Spritz with spray oil and put into the oven for 20 minutes.

After the chicken has cooked for 10 minutes, mix the chickpeas, dried mint and cinnamon into the dry couscous in a saucepan or heatproof bowl, then pour over the boiling stock, cover and leave for 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and check it is cooked through.

Fluff up the couscous with a fork and serve into 4 warmed bowls. Spoon the chicken, veg and juices over the couscous. Serve with lemon wedges and mint leaves scattered over, if you like.