Moroccan meatball stew with couscous
6
Points®
Total time: 1 hr 3 min • Prep: 22 min • Cook: 41 min • Serves: 6 • Difficulty: Easy
Fragrant and full of flavor, this comforting stew is even better the next day—which makes it well suited for entertaining since you can prepare it ahead of time. The meatball mixture adds breadcrumbs to help keep the ground chicken moist and nuts for texture and a bit of crunch. To make shaping the meatballs easier, dip your hands into a bowl of water before forming each meatball. Try to keep the meatballs consistent in in size so that they cook evenly and finish all at the same time. The meatballs are paired with fluffy couscous to soak up all the rich flavors.
Ingredients
White bread
2 slice(s)
Uncooked ground chicken breast
1 pound(s)
Onion
¼ cup(s), chopped
Pine nuts (unsalted, raw or dry roasted, no sugar added)
2 Tbsp
Fresh parsley
2 Tbsp
Ground cinnamon
1 tsp
Ground ginger
½ tsp
Table salt
½ tsp
Olive oil
2 tsp
Onion
1 large
Garlic
2 clove(s)
Plum tomato
3 medium
Ground cumin
½ tsp
Reduced sodium chicken broth
3½ cup(s)
Prunes
12 piece(s)
Carrots
2 medium
Honey
1 Tbsp
Red pepper flakes
¼ tsp
Cooked couscous
10 oz
Sliced almonds (unsalted, no oil or sugar added)
3 Tbsp
Instructions
1
Place the bread in a food processor and pulse until fine crumbs form, about 10 seconds; transfer to a large bowl. Add the chicken, onion, pine nuts, 1 tablespoon of the parsley, the cinnamon, ginger, and salt; mix well. With wet hands, shape the mixture into 12 balls.
2
Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a nonstick Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3
Add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the Dutch oven; stir in the onion and garlic. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are softened, about 5 minutes. Return the meatballs to the Dutch oven, then add the broth, prunes, carrots, honey, and crushed red pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the flavors are blended and the meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped parsley.
4
Divide the couscous among 6 bowls. Spoon the meatball stew over the couscous, then sprinkle with the almonds. Yields generous 3⁄4 cup couscous, 2 meatballs, 1⁄2 cup sauce, and 1⁄2 tablespoon almonds per serving.
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