CHICKEN KOFTAS WITH LIME COUSCOUS

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Chicken Koftas With Lime Couscous image

This splendid yet easy meal pairs koftas (gently spiced meatballs) and couscous with fresh accents from herbs, limes and crunchy pine nuts. Using a food processor to blitz all the kofta ingredients provides enough friction to help the meat proteins bind and form a much nicer and compact kofta. A similar technique is traditionally employed in India, where ground meat is chopped until it becomes a paste. While the sweet and tart taste of dried cherries are nice here, cranberries are an excellent substitute, bringing a similar spot of brightness to this dish.

Provided by Nik Sharma

Categories     dinner, weekday, poultry, main course

Time 25m

Yield 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 19

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons lime juice, plus 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, such as Aleppo
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup couscous
1/4 loosely packed cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup dried sweet-tart cherries or cranberries
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1 pound ground chicken or turkey
2 shallots, peeled and minced
1 large egg, lightly whisked
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 serrano chile, trimmed and chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 lime, cut into wedges, for serving

Steps:

  • Make the couscous: In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring the stock, lime juice, olive oil, red-pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon salt to a rolling boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the couscous. Cover with a lid and let sit for 10 minutes.
  • As the couscous sits, prepare the koftas: Place the ground chicken, shallots, egg, parsley, serrano, garlic, ginger, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse paste.
  • Heat 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet or nonstick pan over medium-low. Grease your hands with a little oil and divide and shape the ground chicken mixture into 12 balls. Fry them in the hot oil, in batches if necessary, until golden brown on all sides and the internal temperature reads 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, about 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the koftas to a tray or plate lined with paper towels.
  • Uncover the couscous, fluff the mixture with a fork and break up any lumps. Transfer the couscous to a large mixing bowl. Fold in the lime zest, parsley, cherries and pine nuts, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Fold in the koftas and serve immediately with the lime wedges.

Mans Stha
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These chicken koftas were a bit dry, but the lime couscous was delicious.


Gianna Alarid
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I'm not a big fan of chicken, but these chicken koftas were really good. They were moist and flavorful, and the lime couscous was a great addition.


R Netra
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These chicken koftas were easy to make and turned out great! I will definitely be making them again.


Jeff Noe
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I've made this recipe several times and it's always a winner. The chicken koftas are always moist and flavorful, and the lime couscous is a perfect complement.


Boxen
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These chicken koftas were a bit too spicy for my taste, but they were still good.


Shahi Janak
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I made these chicken koftas for a party and they were a huge hit! Everyone loved them.


Marcus Petit Frere
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Not bad.


pop cute
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These chicken koftas were delicious! I especially loved the lime couscous.


Emile Bonn
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I'm not sure what went wrong, but my chicken koftas were really dry. I followed the recipe exactly, so I'm not sure what happened.


Tanveer Qureshi
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These chicken koftas were easy to make and very tasty. I will definitely be making them again.


Farida Nasim Butt
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I followed the recipe exactly and the chicken koftas turned out perfectly. They were moist and flavorful, and the lime couscous was a great complement.


Awais Butt darr
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Meh.


mian haris
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These chicken koftas were a bit dry for my taste, but the lime couscous was delicious.


Recxn Rebel
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I'm not a huge fan of koftas, but these were really good. The chicken was tender and moist, and the spices were well-balanced.


Fawzy Gamall
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I love this recipe! The chicken koftas are so juicy and flavorful, and the lime couscous is a refreshing change from traditional couscous.


munir hussain
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These chicken koftas were a hit with my family! The flavors were amazing and the couscous was the perfect accompaniment. I will definitely be making this dish again.