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Slow-Cooker Chicken With Fennel and Tomato Couscous

By Stephanie Pixley

Published on October 16, 2019

Time

2 to 3 hours on low

Yield

Serves 4

Slow cooker size

4 to 7 quarts

Slow-Cooker Chicken With Fennel and Tomato Couscous

Ingredients

1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 garlic cloves, mincedSalt and pepper ½ cup chicken broth 4 (12-ounce) split bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved1 cup couscous ¼ cup chopped fresh basil 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 2 teaspoons honey ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Before You Begin

Be sure to use regular (or fine-grain) couscous; large-grain couscous, often labeled “Israeli-style,” takes much longer to cook and won't work in this recipe. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe. Check the chicken's temperature after 2 hours of cooking and continue to monitor until it registers 160 degrees.

Instructions

  1. Microwave fennel, 1 tablespoon oil, two-thirds of garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in bowl, stirring occasionally, until fennel is tender, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in broth. Season chicken with salt and pepper and arrange, skinned side up, in even layer in slow cooker. Sprinkle tomatoes over chicken, cover, and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 2 to 3 hours on low.
  2. Transfer chicken to serving dish and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Strain cooking liquid into fat separator, reserving vegetables. Return vegetables and 1 cup defatted liquid to now-empty slow cooker; discard remaining liquid. Stir in couscous, cover, and cook on high until tender, about 15 minutes.
  3. Whisk remaining ¼ cup oil, remaining garlic, basil, vinegar, honey, and mustard together in bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 3 tablespoons dressing to cooked couscous and fluff with fork to combine. Drizzle chicken with remaining dressing and serve with couscous.
Slow-Cooker Chicken With Fennel and Tomato Couscous
Photography by Keller + Keller. Styling by Sally Staub.

Slow-Cooker Chicken With Fennel and Tomato Couscous

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Time

2 to 3 hours on low

Yield

Serves 4

Slow cooker size

4 to 7 quarts

Ingredients

1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
½ cup chicken broth
4 (12-ounce) split bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup couscous
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
½ cup chicken broth
4 (12-ounce) split bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup couscous
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

1 fennel bulb, stalks discarded, bulb halved, cored, and sliced thin
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
½ cup chicken broth
4 (12-ounce) split bone-in chicken breasts, skin removed, trimmed
8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup couscous
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Store-bought chicken broth flavored with garlic, salt, and pepper made a simple cooking liquid that seasoned the chicken as it simmered and helped it cook gently and evenly. Once the chicken was cooked, we used the flavorful cooking liquid, enriched with the chicken's juices, to cook couscous for a quick and easy side dish. A quick basil vinaigrette brought freshness and acidity when drizzled over both the chicken and the couscous. 

Before You Begin

Be sure to use regular (or fine-grain) couscous; large-grain couscous, often labeled “Israeli-style,” takes much longer to cook and won't work in this recipe. You will need an oval slow cooker for this recipe. Check the chicken's temperature after 2 hours of cooking and continue to monitor until it registers 160 degrees.

Instructions

  1. Microwave fennel, 1 tablespoon oil, two-thirds of garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in bowl, stirring occasionally, until fennel is tender, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in broth. Season chicken with salt and pepper and arrange, skinned side up, in even layer in slow cooker. Sprinkle tomatoes over chicken, cover, and cook until chicken registers 160 degrees, 2 to 3 hours on low.
  2. Transfer chicken to serving dish and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Strain cooking liquid into fat separator, reserving vegetables. Return vegetables and 1 cup defatted liquid to now-empty slow cooker; discard remaining liquid. Stir in couscous, cover, and cook on high until tender, about 15 minutes.
  3. Whisk remaining ¼ cup oil, remaining garlic, basil, vinegar, honey, and mustard together in bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 3 tablespoons dressing to cooked couscous and fluff with fork to combine. Drizzle chicken with remaining dressing and serve with couscous.

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