Couscous Stuffed Chicken Thighs with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes and Shallots
By Carmen DongoPublished on August 22, 2025
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
¾ teaspoon ground cumin ¾ teaspoon pepper ½ teaspoon ground sumac 1¾ teaspoons table salt, divided3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided3 garlic cloves, minced⅓ cup couscous 1⅓ cups chicken broth, divided½ preserved lemon, pulp and white pith removed, rind rinsed and minced (3 tablespoons), divided3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided1½ tablespoons tahini 8 (3- to 5‐ounce) boneless chicken thighs, trimmed10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved4 shallots, quartered
Before You Begin
If sumac is unavailable, substitute an equal amount of dried thyme. You will need a 12‐inch ovensafe skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
Instructions
- Combine ¾ teaspoon ground cumin, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon ground sumac in small bowl. Measure out and reserve ½ teaspoon spice mixture. Stir 1½ teaspoons table salt into remaining spice mixture; set aside.
- Cook 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 3 minced garlic cloves, and reserved unsalted spice mixture in 12‐inch stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in ⅓ cup couscous, ⅓ cup chicken broth, and remaining ¼ teaspoon table salt. Off heat, cover and let sit until all liquid has been absorbed and couscous is tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer couscous mixture to a large bowl and add 1 tablespoon preserved lemon (pulp and white pith removed, rind rinsed and minced), 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, and 1½ tablespoons tahini and fluff mixture with fork until evenly combined. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut kitchen twine into sixteen 10‐inch lengths. Arrange 8 trimmed boneless chicken thighs on large cutting board skinned side down with narrow sides facing you. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to even ¼-inch thickness. Sprinkle chicken with remaining salted spice mixture. Divide filling among thighs and spread evenly over surface, pressing gently to adhere. Starting with edge closest to you, roll chicken away from you into compact cylinder and secure with 2 evenly spaced pieces of twine.
- Toss 10 ounces halved cherry tomatoes and 4 quartered shallots with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add thighs seam side up and cook until well browned on first side, about 5 minutes. Flip thighs and scatter tomato mixture around chicken. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until thickest part of filling registers 185 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Using pot holders, remove skillet from oven. Transfer thighs to cutting board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing sauce. Being careful of hot skillet handle, add remaining 1 cup broth to skillet, scraping up any browned bits, and cook over medium-high heat until flavors meld and sauce thickens slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons preserved lemon and remaining 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. Remove twine and serve chicken with tomato and shallot sauce.
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon ground sumac
1¾ teaspoons table salt, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup couscous
1⅓ cups chicken broth, divided
½ preserved lemon, pulp and white pith removed, rind rinsed and minced (3 tablespoons), divided
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
1½ tablespoons tahini
8 (3- to 5‐ounce) boneless chicken thighs, trimmed
10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
4 shallots, quartered
Ingredients
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon ground sumac
1¾ teaspoons table salt, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup couscous
1⅓ cups chicken broth, divided
½ preserved lemon, pulp and white pith removed, rind rinsed and minced (3 tablespoons), divided
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
1½ tablespoons tahini
8 (3- to 5‐ounce) boneless chicken thighs, trimmed
10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
4 shallots, quartered
Ingredients
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon ground sumac
1¾ teaspoons table salt, divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 garlic cloves, minced
⅓ cup couscous
1⅓ cups chicken broth, divided
½ preserved lemon, pulp and white pith removed, rind rinsed and minced (3 tablespoons), divided
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, divided
1½ tablespoons tahini
8 (3- to 5‐ounce) boneless chicken thighs, trimmed
10 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
4 shallots, quartered
Why This Recipe Works
Like many of our other pan-roasted chicken dishes, this one travels from stovetop to oven and back to the stovetop to finish the sauce. An easy couscous stuffing flavored with citrusy preserved lemon and warm spices makes it a one-dish meal. A pungent tahini holds the stuffing together and ensures that it stays tightly packed in the rolled-up boneless thigh bundles. Pounding the thighs before stuffing them is key to the success of this dish. After browning both sides of the rolled chicken thighs on the stovetop, we scatter halved cherry tomatoes and quartered shallots into the skillet before transferring it to the oven. We remove the skillet from the oven after 30 minutes, transfer the thighs to a plate, and put the skillet back on the stovetop. Then we turn the luscious roasted and caramelized tomato-shallot mixture into a lively sauce by simply adding broth, scraping up the browned bits, and letting everything meld and reduce for a just a few minutes. Additional chopped preserved lemon and parsley complete the bright and beautiful sauce.
Before You Begin
If sumac is unavailable, substitute an equal amount of dried thyme. You will need a 12‐inch ovensafe skillet with a tight-fitting lid for this recipe.
Instructions
- Combine ¾ teaspoon ground cumin, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and ½ teaspoon ground sumac in small bowl. Measure out and reserve ½ teaspoon spice mixture. Stir 1½ teaspoons table salt into remaining spice mixture; set aside.
- Cook 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 3 minced garlic cloves, and reserved unsalted spice mixture in 12‐inch stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in ⅓ cup couscous, ⅓ cup chicken broth, and remaining ¼ teaspoon table salt. Off heat, cover and let sit until all liquid has been absorbed and couscous is tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer couscous mixture to a large bowl and add 1 tablespoon preserved lemon (pulp and white pith removed, rind rinsed and minced), 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, and 1½ tablespoons tahini and fluff mixture with fork until evenly combined. Wipe skillet clean with paper towels.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut kitchen twine into sixteen 10‐inch lengths. Arrange 8 trimmed boneless chicken thighs on large cutting board skinned side down with narrow sides facing you. Cover with plastic wrap and pound to even ¼-inch thickness. Sprinkle chicken with remaining salted spice mixture. Divide filling among thighs and spread evenly over surface, pressing gently to adhere. Starting with edge closest to you, roll chicken away from you into compact cylinder and secure with 2 evenly spaced pieces of twine.
- Toss 10 ounces halved cherry tomatoes and 4 quartered shallots with 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil oil in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add thighs seam side up and cook until well browned on first side, about 5 minutes. Flip thighs and scatter tomato mixture around chicken. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until thickest part of filling registers 185 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes.
- Using pot holders, remove skillet from oven. Transfer thighs to cutting board, tent with aluminum foil, and let rest while finishing sauce. Being careful of hot skillet handle, add remaining 1 cup broth to skillet, scraping up any browned bits, and cook over medium-high heat until flavors meld and sauce thickens slightly, 5 to 7 minutes. Off heat, stir in remaining 2 tablespoons preserved lemon and remaining 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley. Remove twine and serve chicken with tomato and shallot sauce.
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