Vegetable couscous salad with chicken legs

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 2 tbsp harissa paste or red chili paste
• 1 tbsp Ras el Hanout paste
• possibly cream if required
• 1 pinch(s) of turmeric powder or curry powder
• 1 pinch(s) of salt and pepper
• 4 chicken legs, each approx. 150 g
• 2 tbsp oil, neutral
• 5 cherry tomatoes
• 3 spring onions
• 1 bell pepper(s), yellow
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 lime(s), organic
• 200 ml white wine, alternatively white grape juice
• 200 g couscous
• 400 ml vegetable stock
• 1 bell pepper(s), red
• 5 large mushrooms
• 1 large carrot(s)
• 1 onion(s)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 gherkin(s)
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 pinch(s) of sugar or liquid honey

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 45 minutes; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

Turkish-Oriental

Mix the two pastes together to make a marinade, adding cream to reduce the spiciness if desired. Stir in the turmeric, salt, and pepper. Rinse the chicken thighs under running water, dry with kitchen paper, and rub with the paste, then let it sit for a short while. Wash, dry, and halve the cherry tomatoes. Wash the spring onions and slice into rings. Wash the yellow bell pepper, halve lengthwise, remove the seeds, and cut into small cubes. Wash the rosemary, shake dry, and roughly chop. Wash the lime in hot water and halve it. Heat the oil in an ovenproof pan and sear the chicken thighs all over. Add the cherry tomatoes, spring onions, and diced yellow bell peppers and fry briefly. Deglaze with the white wine. Season with lime juice, then add the squeezed lime halves to the pan. Cook the legs in a pan in a hot oven at approximately 200-225°C on the middle rack for about 30-40 minutes. Meanwhile, pour the hot broth over the couscous in a bowl, loosen with the tines of a fork, and let it swell, covered, for 10 minutes. Wash the red bell pepper, halve lengthwise, remove the seeds, and cut into small cubes. Clean the mushrooms, rub with kitchen paper if necessary, and roughly chop. Peel and finely dice the carrot and onion. Peel and finely dice the garlic. Drain the cucumber on kitchen paper and finely chop. Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan and sauté the diced onion over medium heat until translucent. Add the diced red bell pepper and carrot and sauté for 4-5 minutes. Push the vegetables together on one side of the pan, add the garlic to the free side, and sauté briefly. Sprinkle with sugar or honey and caramelize. Season with salt and pepper. Add the mushrooms and sauté again vigorously. Deglaze with a little stock and simmer until the vegetables are cooked to your desired doneness. Mix the roasted vegetables and finely diced gherkin with the couscous (if you like, you can also add some finely diced feta cheese). Season again with salt and pepper. Remove the crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside chicken thighs from the oven and let them rest briefly. Arrange the couscous in the center of a plate, ideally using a cup. Place the chicken thigh on top and arrange the braised vegetables around it. Garnish with chopped herbs, if desired.