Skillet Chicken with Couscous, Lemon and Halloumi

Ingredients

• 2 lemons
• 8 oz halloumi, torn by hand
• ½ cup walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
• 6 shallots (1 thinly sliced into rings; 5 quartered lengthwise)
• 1 tbsp red pepper flakes
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2–3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken legs or thighs
• Kosher salt
• 1½ cups pearl couscous
• 1 cup chicken broth + ½ cup white wine
• 1 whole package or small bunch thyme, tied in a bundle
• ½ cup fresh parsley leaves and tender stems

Recipe

1. Zest 1 lemon into a bowl. Peel and roughly chop the flesh of that lemon (about 2 tbsp), adding it with any juice to the bowl. Stir in halloumi, walnuts, sliced shallot rings, red pepper flakes, and 2 tbsp olive oil. Let marinate while you cook the chicken.
2. Pat chicken dry and season generously with salt. Heat remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Place chicken skin-side down and cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Flip and sear 1–2 more minutes. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add quartered shallots to the pan; stir to coat in drippings. Cook over medium heat until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add couscous and stir to coat.
4. Add broth and wine, season with salt, and bring to a simmer. Return chicken skin-side up with any plate juices. Add thyme bundle, cover, and cook until liquid is absorbed and chicken is cooked through, 15–20 minutes.
5. Heat broiler and place skillet under until skin is deeply browned, 2–7 minutes. Remove from oven, fluff couscous, and top with the halloumi-walnut mixture. Squeeze remaining lemon over everything and scatter with parsley.