One Pan Chicken & Couscous with Broccoli

Apr 02, 2025 • Tom Jackson

Discover a flavorful and easy grilled chicken dinner with this Chicken & Couscous with Broccoli recipe. Juicy, crispy-skinned chicken thighs are seasoned with Italian herbs, seared over live fire on the Yoder Smokers YS640s, then finished in a creamy tomato-braised sauce. Served over tender pearl couscous with roasted broccoli, fresh parsley, and a bright squeeze of lemon, this dish is packed with bold flavors and satisfying textures. Perfect for a weeknight meal or weekend cookout, this one-skillet recipe brings together simple ingredients for an unforgettable grilled dinner.

Chicken & Couscous with Broccoli

Tom Jackson

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Cuisine

Italian

Servings

8

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Calories

358

Grilled chicken thighs meet creamy couscous in this bold and satisfying recipe. Juicy, crispy chicken is seared over live fire and finished in a rich tomato cream sauce with tender broccoli and parmesan-tossed pearl couscous. It’s an easy, flavor-packed dinner you’ll want to make again and again.

Ingredients

1 lb chicken thighs, skin-on, bones removed
Cattleman’s Grill Italiano Seasoning, ground fine
2 tbsp Texas Olive Ranch Roasted Garlic Oil
2 cups small broccoli florets
1/4 cup Parmesan, grated on a microplane
2 tbsp fresh parsley, minced
8 oz Zelli Pearl Coucous
1/2 lemon, juiced

Sauce:

3/4 cup yellow onion, small dice
2 garlic cloves, grated on a microplane
1/2 cup Yo Mama’s Marinara Sauce
1/2 cup unsalted chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream

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Directions

Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet grill to 450ºF, set up for direct grilling.
Season the thighs (remove bones if needed) with Cattleman’s Grill Italiano, seasoning, ground in a spice grinder.
Place the Texas Olive Ranch Roasted Garlic Oil in the room temperature skillet. Add the chicken thighs to the skillet, skin side down. Transfer the skillet to the grill over direct flame.
When the skin side of the chicken is seared and crispy, about 10 - 15 minutes, remove from the skillet and transfer to the far side of the grill, away from the flame.
Place the onions in the skillet and season with more Cattleman’s Grill Italiano Seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and slightly browned. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds.
Add the marinara and chicken stock and scrape the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan. Bring to a simmer, add the cream, then return the chicken to the skillet, skin side up and let reduce for about 10 minutes.
While the sauce reduces, cook the pearl couscous in boiling water until tender on the outside, but still have some toughness in the center. Strain, reserving about one cup of the pasta water.
When the chicken thighs reach 170ºF - 180ºF internal temperature, remove from the braise and cover to rest.
Add the broccoli to the sauce in the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes, then add the pasta and cook until tender, thinning with pasta sauce a little at a time, as needed.
Slice the chicken.
Serve the sauced couscous and broccoli, topped with sliced chicken, grated parmesan and parsley. Squeeze fresh juice lemon over the top.

Image of Chicken & Couscous with Broccoli

Recipe Note

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Creamy Cajun Pasta with Blackened Chicken

Bacon & Asparagus Pasta Salad

Recipe Highlights and Insights:

Couscous is a staple ingredient in many Mediterranean and Middle Eastern kitchens, often misunderstood but incredibly versatile. Technically a pasta, couscous is made from crushed semolina wheat mixed with water and rolled into tiny granules. For this recipe, we’re using Zelli Pearl Couscous Dried Pasta, a premium, small-batch pasta crafted in Springdale, Arkansas. Made with 100% organic North American durum semolina, Zelli’s couscous is extruded through traditional bronze dies, giving each piece a slightly rough texture that helps sauces cling beautifully.

Pearl couscous, also known as Israeli couscous, is larger and rounder than traditional couscous and has a slightly chewy, satisfying bite. What sets the Zelli Pearl Couscous apart is the care in its production—it’s slow-dried for over 36 hours, preserving the natural flavor and structure of the pasta. This makes it ideal for skillet meals like this one, where the couscous absorbs all the savory flavors of the tomato cream sauce, grilled chicken juices, and sautéed aromatics without turning mushy.

Beyond its texture, couscous is a quick-cooking and flexible ingredient, perfect for weeknight dinners or crowd-pleasing gatherings. In this dish, the Zelli Pearl Couscous Dried Pasta becomes more than just a starch—it’s a flavorful, hearty base that pulls the entire meal together, balancing the richness of the chicken and cream with its light, nutty character.