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I like to cook and freeze shredded chicken, couscous, pasta, ground beef, and sooo many other things to have on hand for when I need quick meals. I’m a big fan of cooking in large quantities especially since it means less dishes overall and less time spent preparing! I love to make couscous dishes, since they are so easy and can be customized based on what’s in the pantry. Here’s a chicken couscous recipe that I love and developed when I was following a milk-free diet for my daughter.

Ingredients:

Chicken
Couscous
Balsamic vinegar
Honey
Oil
Soy sauce
Walnuts or nut of choice
Dried cranberries
Canned mandarin oranges

How to make honey balsamic chicken couscous:

First, cook chicken with your preferred method. I like to use chicken tenderloins and poach them. When the chicken is cooked, shred it using a fork. To cool the chicken faster to allow me to shred sooner, I put ice in the pan with the chicken after draining off the water…yeah, I know, I’m not a gourmet chef…I’m just a mom who likes to get healthy-ish dinners on the table quickly sometimes!

Also, cook the couscous according to package directions. 2 cups of uncooked couscous made about 4 cups cooked couscous for me.

Meanwhile, make honey balsamic mixture by adding balsamic vinegar, honey, oil (I used olive), and soy sauce together.

In a large bowl, mix nuts, dried, cranberries, and halved mandarin oranges.

Add in couscous. Then, dip chicken in the balsamic vinegar mix to allow it to soak up some of the liquid. Add chicken to bowl with couscous. Pour remaining liquid on top.

Mix well (I like to shake the bowl with the lid top on!) and serve! I like it best when the couscous and chicken are still warm, but it can be refrigerated and served later. Also, if you like your couscous a little more liquidy, make a little more balsamic vinegar mixture to add in.

Like easy weeknight meals too? Check out all our Tired Mom Monday dinner ideas here.

Sweet Honey Balsamic Chicken Couscous

A sweet chicken couscous dish that is easy to prepare and store.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword weeknight, quick

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

1-1.5 lb chicken
2 cups uncooked couscous
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp oil of choice we use olive or avocado
1/2 teaspoon lite soy sauce.
1/2 cup walnuts or nuts
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 can (15 oz) mandarin oranges drained and chopped in half

Instructions

First, cook chicken with your preferred method. I like to use chicken tenderloins and poach them. When chicken is cooked, shred it using a fork.
Also, cook the couscous according to package directions. 2 cups of uncooked couscous made about 4 cups cooked couscous for me.
Meanwhile, make honey balsamic mixture by adding balsamic vinegar, honey, oil (I used olive), and soy sauce together.
To a large bowl, add nuts, dried, cranberries, and halved mandarin oranges.
Add in couscous.
Dip chicken in the balsamic vinegar mix to allow it to soak up some of the liquid and then add chicken to bowl with couscous. Pour remaining liquid on top.
Mix well (I like to shake the bowl with the lid top on!) and serve!

Notes

I like it best when the couscous and chicken are still warm, but it can be refrigerated and served later.