I’m sorry. I did it. I decorated my house for Christmas.
A whole two months early.
Now, my tree isn’t up yet, so I guess there’s one silver lining for anyone who hates premature Christmas decorating. However, that tree is going up TOMORROW! I can’t wait. I love twinkly Christmas lights and our tree is a gorgeous menagerie of new, old, and heirloom ornaments.
Oh yeah, and I only use old school golden (non-LED) lights. I feel like those are the most beautiful out of them all. No multi colored strands, or blue (yuck), or green. Nope—golden lights do it just fine for me.
I’ve also started the cookie baking season off today as well. So make sure and tune in soon for a delicious cookie recipe! In the meantime, here’s a nice, easy-peasy dinner to make on a weeknight coming up. I was a bit concerned about seasoning the mushrooms with cinnamon, but it actually turned out really well. They were fragrant and had that slightly Moroccan twist.
I would also recommend using a flavored couscous mix, like roasted garlic, instead of just plain. I ended up throwing a few pieces of my roasted garlic in the couscous mix because it was kind of bland. I liked the sweet/tart combo with the dried apricots, but it needed something more salty in it as well.
Roasted Chicken & Mushrooms with Couscous
An easy sheet pan meal with chicken, fragrant mushrooms, and couscous.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs. baby portobello mushrooms, halved or quartered
- 3 TBS. olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- salt and pepper
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 pkg. couscous
- 1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
- 1 TBS. lemon juice
- 2 TBS. dill weed
- plain yogurt (for serving)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the mushrooms with 2 TBS. olive oil, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper (to taste) on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Rub the chicken breasts with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken amongst the mushrooms. Roast until chicken juices run clear, about 25-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to package directions. Mix in the dried apricots (and roasted garlic, if you want).
- Transfer the chicken to plates. Toss the mushrooms with lemon juice and dill, salt and pepper to taste. Serve with the chicken and yogurt on the side.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Toss the mushrooms with 2 TBS olive oil, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper (to taste) on a rimmed baking sheet.
Rub the chicken with remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the chicken amongst the mushrooms and cook until juices run clear, about 25-30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the couscous according to package directions. Mix in dried apricots and set aside.
Take roasted chicken and mushrooms out of the oven. Transfer chicken to a plate to let it rest.
Toss the mushrooms with lemon juice and dill, salt and pepper. Serve with the chicken and yogurt on the side.
