Za’atar-Spiced Chicken Thighs

Today I will show you a Blue Apron recipe I tried. I order these boxes about 1-2 times a month. Blue Apron is a food subscription box that provides you with fresh, high-quality ingredients that are sourced by their network of farmers, fisheries, and ranchers each week. Each box comes with two or three meals with pre-measured ingredients and proportioned amounts for each serving. Each week, Blue Apron provides a variety of recipes to choose from. They also provide a menu card with directions and pictures to assist you while you cook. I enjoy getting my Blue Apron boxes because it introduces me to new recipes that I would not normally try, such as this Middle Eastern inspired Za’atar-Spiced Chicken Thigh meal with Veggie Couscous and Pink Lemon Yogurt Sauce.

I haven’t really tried Middle Eastern inspired, spiced food before and to my surprise I was very pleased with this meal. The pink lemon gave a refreshing taste and the couscous was light on the stomach. The meal was simple to make, although it took a bit of time, but the results were worth it.

Time: 40-50 minutes
Servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 cup yellow couscous
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 pink lemon
• 1 bunch collard greens
• 6oz carrots
• 1 shallot
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp Za’atar seasoning (ground sumac, sesame seeds, salt, ground thyme, whole dried oregano, and crushed aleppo pepper)
• 1 1/4 cup of water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Wash and dry the fresh produce (collard greens, carrots, and pink lemon).
3. Peel the carrots; halve lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Peel the shallot and quarter lengthwise.
4. Peel and mince the garlic. Remove and discard the stems of the collard greens and rough chop the leaves.
5. Zest the rind of the pink lemon to get 2 teaspoons of zest. Quarter and deseed the lemon.
6. In a bowl, combine the yogurt, juice of 2 lemon wedges, and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. In another bowl, toss the carrot pieces, quartered shallot and drizzle with olive oil. Season with half of the za’atar seasoning. Toss again and place on a sheet pan lined with aluminum foil in an even layer.
8. Roast the vegetables for 15 to 17 minutes or until browned and tender. Remove from oven.
9. While the vegetables roast, rinse the chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Season on both sides with salt, pepper, and the remaining za’atar seasoning.
10. In a medium pan, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the chicken and cook 5 to 7 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.
11. Leave any browned bits (or fond) in the pan and transfer cooked chicken to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
12. While the chicken cooks, in a medium pot, combine the couscous and 1 cup of water. Season with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling. (My Note: To avoid couscous getting stuck to the bottom of the pan, I would add a drizzle of olive oil to the couscous)
13. Once boiling, cover and turn off the heat. Let stand 6 to 8 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the couscous is tender. Fluff the cooked couscous with a fork. Season with salt and pepper. (My note: If the couscous is dry, add 1/2 cup of water and after a few minutes, fluff with fork again).
14. To the pan of reserved fond, add the chopped garlic and collard greens. Season with salt and pepper. (If the pan seems dry, add a drizzle of olive oil). Cook on medium-high, stirring frequently for 2 to 3 minutes, or until slightly wilted.
15. Add 1/4 cup of water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes, or until the collard greens are wilted and most of the water has cooked off. Turn off the heat.
16. To the pot of cooked couscous, add the cooked collard greens, roasted vegetables, lemon zest, the juice of the remaining lemon wedges, and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to combine, season with salt and pepper to taste.
17. Serve the cooked chicken over the finished couscous. Garnish with the yogurt sauce. Serve any remaining yogurt sauce on the side and enjoy! (My Note: I added some yogurt sauce to my couscous and mixed it in. It provides a light, fresh taste to the couscous and roasted vegetables).

If you would like to try Blue Apron, visit their website here (www.blueapron.com)
Have you tried a Blue Apron meal before? Let me know in the comments.