Green Pesto Chicken Couscous

This Pesto Chicken & Tomato Couscous is a brilliant one-pan wonder for busy evenings. You’ll sear bite-sized chicken until golden, soften onions and blister sweet tomatoes, then toast couscous with pesto for big flavour. A quick steam with hot stock does the rest. Fold in spinach and a final spoon of pesto and you’ve got a light, herby bowl that feels cheerful and satisfying with minimal washing up.

Servings: 2–3

Prep: 10 min – Cook: 15 min – Total: 25 min

Ingredients

• 300 g chicken thighs or breast, cut into 2 cm dice

• 150 g couscous (regular, not giant)

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp green pesto (about 30–35 g total)

• 150 g cherry or plum tomatoes, halved

• 60 g baby spinach

• 300 ml hot chicken stock

• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

Sear the chicken

Heat the olive oil in a large deep frying pan or sauté pan over medium–high heat. Add the chicken in a single layer, season with salt and pepper, and cook 3–4 minutes, stirring once or twice, until lightly golden. Transfer to a bowl and keep the pan on the heat.

Soften onion & blister tomatoes

Add the onion with a small pinch of salt and cook 1–2 minutes until starting to soften. Place the tomato halves cut-side down and cook 1–2 minutes until they blister and release a little juice. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Pesto + couscous.

Stir in 1 tbsp of the pesto so it coats the onions and tomatoes. Add the couscous and toss 30–45 seconds to toast lightly and pick up the flavours.

Hydrate & steam.

Pour in 300 ml hot stock, scrape the base to lift any browned bits, then return the chicken (and any juices) to the pan. Spread everything in an even layer so the couscous is submerged. Cover with a tight lid, turn the heat off, and let it steam 5–6 minutes.

Finish & serve.

Remove the lid, fluff with a fork, and fold through the spinach to wilt. Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp pesto. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and acidity (a squeeze of lemon is lovely). Serve immediately with extra pesto or Parmesan if you like.

If your tomatoes are extra juicy, start with 280–290 ml stock and add a splash after steaming only if needed.

Tips & Tricks

✅ Golden chicken = flavour. Don’t crowd the pan when searing; work in two batches if needed so the chicken colours, not steams.

✅ Toast the couscous. That quick 30–45 second toss before adding stock gives better texture and nutty depth.

✅ Steam, don’t boil. Once the stock is in, cover and turn the heat off—residual heat cooks couscous perfectly and keeps it fluffy.

✅ Stock control. Tomatoes vary—reduce stock slightly for very juicy tomatoes; add a splash at the end if it looks dry.

✅ Spinach timing. Fold in off the heat so it wilts without going dull.

✅ Veg your way. Add courgette ribbons or peas in the final minute for more colour and fibre