algerian chicken stew and couscous

Comfort? Yeah. Heat? Cayenne, heck yeah. (But not overwhelming. Just enough to tickle your nose but not so much that you have to get out the box of tissues.) Chickpeas, squash, tender fall-off-your-fork chicken, tomatoes, carrots, green beans, onions? You betcha. Yummy spices plus a hint of garlic? For sure. Dished up over your favorite couscous? Mmmm hmmm.

Easy? Yup. Doable in the slow cooker? Uh-huh.

Adapted by moi from Extending the Table: A World Community Cookbook.

You'll need:

• 3 c. (750 ml) chicken broth, or 3 c. water plus 2 or 3 chicken bouillon cubes
• 1 lb. (5oo g) chopped chicken (I like boneless organic thighs)
  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 c. fresh or frozen green beans, chopped (I've used okra instead and that's great, too)
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 1 t. (5 ml) ground cumin
• 1 t. (5 ml) dried basil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 t. (2 ml) dried parsley, or some fresh
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 2 small or 1 medium zucchini, sliced (or as I did last time, one yellow pattypan squash)
• 16-oz. (500 g) can chickpeas, drained
• 1/4 t. (1 ml) ground red pepper (I use a bit less)

Do this:

You can cook it all together in a pot on the stove, or throw it in your slow cooker/crock pot and leave it on low all day.

For the couscous, just boil 1 1/4 c. water on the stove, stir in 1 c. couscous, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let it sit for a couple of minutes till fluffy.

Ladle the stew over your couscous in a bowl, grab a seat, light some candles, wield your spoon, and contentedly rub your tum after.