This crispy chicken and pearl couscous halloumi salad is the perfect weeknight meal.
The Deets:
This is the perfect healthy weeknight meal to help you start the week on the right foot. With its delicious combination of crispy chicken thighs and a refreshing pearl couscous halloumi salad, this dish offers a balance of savory, crispy, and creamy textures. I absolutely love cooking with halloumi – it has a high heat tolerance, allowing it to get beautifully golden brown while maintaining that creamy, rich interior. The chicken thighs are perfectly seasoned and crispy on the outside, yet tender and juicy on the inside. The pearl couscous salad adds a light, nutritious touch, while the halloumi brings an extra layer of indulgence and flavor. To tie everything together, I topped it all with a simple, zesty dressing that elevates the dish. It’s a meal that not only satisfies your taste buds but also provides the nutrients and energy you need to power through the week. Enjoy this wholesome, easy-to-make dish and set a positive tone for the days ahead! Let me know what you think in the comments – I’d love to hear your feedback! Check out more dinner ideas here.
Here’s how to make it:
Crispy chicken and pearl couscous halloumi salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup pearl couscous
- 8 oz halloumi
- 2 person cucumbers, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- Handful of mint
- Handful of basil
- 3 scallions
- 1 small shallot
- Juice from about half a lemon(and a little more for topping)
- 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup olive oil and a few more tbsps for cooking
- Flaky sea salt and pepper
- 4 chicken thighs (skin on)
Instructions
- Rinse chicken and season with salt and pepper.
- Cook couscous according to the back of the box.Remove and add a little olive oil to keep from sticking together. Add to a large bowl.
- Slice halloumi and add to a pan on medium heat.You don’t need olive oil or anything in the pan to cook it. Let sit for about3-4 min per side or until nicely browned. Remove and roughly chop. Add in with the couscous.
- In same pan as halloumi, add pine nuts and cook on low heat until browned. Stir constantly to keep from getting too brown.Remove and add to pan with couscous and halloumi.
- Chop cucumber and scallions and add to couscous bowl.
- Heat some olive to fully coat a pan. Add chicken thighs and cook on high heat for about 5min. Don’t crowd pan and don’t touch chicken so that it gets maximum crispiness. Turn and cook for another 6 min or until it reaches 165 inside.
- Make dressing: combine white wine vinegar, lemon juice, shallot, olive oil, salt, pepper to a small bowl. Whisk to combine. Pour over couscous mix and stir to combine. Portion out into bowls and top with chicken thigh. Season with more salt and pepper, lemon juice and scallions.Enjoy!
