Moroccan Couscous with Chicken and Vegetables

This recipe is adapted from one in Bon Appetit, March 1995. The only changes I made were
substituting potatoes for the 5 small turnips called for in the recipe and using boneless chicken
breasts instead of 3 1/2 lbs of cut-up chicken.
From Paul: "Everyone I have shared this recipe with has fallen in love with it."

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

2 1/2 lb boneless chicken breasts (1.130g)

4 cups canned chicken broth, reconstituted (2 oxo chicken stock cubes in 1500ml
water)
3 1/2 tbsp butter or margarine
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 large onion, cut into wedges
1/2 lb plum tomatoes, quartered (230g)
1 cup fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 whole jalapeño pepper
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper powder
1/8 tsp crushed saffron threads
5 medium potatoes, quartered (or use turnips)
4 large carrots, peeled, quartered lengthwise then crosswise
1 small acorn squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 2-inch pieces
3 medium courgettes, quartered lengthwise then crosswise
1 19-oz. can chick peas
1/2 cup raisins
- couscous

Combine chicken and broth in a large casserole dish. Simmer until chicken is cooked through,
turning occasionally (about 20 minutes). Using tongs, remove chicken from cooking liquid;
reserve cooking liquid. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter or margarine with oil in a heavy, large casserole dish, over medium-
high heat. Add onion and sauté until tender (about 10 minutes). Add tomatoes and next 8
ingredients and stir for 30 seconds. Mix in reserved chicken cooking liquid, potatoes (or turnips),
carrots, squash, zucchini, chick peas with their liquid and raisins. Cover and simmer until
vegetables are almost (about 15 minutes). Uncover and cook until vegetables are tender (not
mushy), about 5 minutes. Add chicken pieces to sauce and cook just until heated through (about
3 minutes). Discard jalapeño pepper.

Cook couscous according to package directions and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle with 3/4
cup of sauce. Spoon chicken and vegetables on top. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.