Recipe: Chicken Breasts Moroccan-Style (chicken breasts and dates stuffed with with couscous)

CHICKEN BREASTS MOROCCAN-STYLE

1/3 cup couscous
4 teaspoons butter, divided use
salt and pepper (to taste)
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 cup ground almonds
3/4 cup golden raisins
1/8 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
3 medium onions, sliced
4 chicken breast halves, boned
8 pitted dates

Bring 2/3 cup water to a boil in a small pan. Add couscous, 1 tsp of the butter and salt and pepper to taste, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

Mix couscous with the honey, ground almonds, raisins and spices. Adjust with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

While the couscous stands, brown onions in remaining 1 tbsp of butter for 5 to 8 minutes or until golden. Season with salt and pepper. Add a light sprinkle of the same spices used for couscous, if you like.

Push as much couscous stuffing under the skin of each chicken breast half as will fit easily. Use the remaining couscous to stuff the dates.

Place the sauteed onions in a shallow, ovenproof dish that will hold the chicken in one layer. Place the chicken on the onions and poke the dates in the empty spaces. Pour 1/4 cup water or chicken stock around the breasts.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes or until breasts are golden brown and done.

Servings: 4
Source: Washington Post, December 21, 1994