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Chicken With Veggie Couscous USDA Recipe for Child Care Centers

Couscous is a staple food commonly served in North Africa but also growing in popularity in France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. It is traditionally steamed. The basket is placed atop the main dish and allowed to absorb the flavors as it cooks, producing a fluffy, flavorful side dish.
CACFP CREDITING INFORMATION
1 drumstick, ⅓ cup (No. 12 scoop) mixed vegetables, and ¼ cup (No. 16 scoop) couscous provides 1½ oz equivalent meat, ¼ cup vegetable, and ½ oz equivalent grains.
SOURCE
Team Nutrition CACFP Multicultural Recipe Project.
https://teamnutrition.usda.gov
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Child Care Centers, CACFP, 2021-02-batch, 508c, Multicultural
Age Group: Ages 3-5
Serving Size: 25-50
Program Type: CACFP
Program Meal Type: Lunch, Supper
Conventional Meal Category: Main Dish (Entrée)
Program Meal Component: Grains, Meats, Vegetables
Vegetable Subgroup: Other Vegetables
Meal Service Temperature: Hot
Cooking Method: Boil
Season: Fall, Spring, Winter
25 Servings
Calories: 166

Ingredients

25 Servings

    Weight

    • - - Nonstick cooking spray
    • 5 lb 12½ oz Chicken drumsticks, with bone and skin, raw (about 3.7 oz each)
    • - - Canola oil
    • - - Coriander, dried, ground
    • - - Cumin, dried, ground
    • - - Ginger, dried, ground
    • - - Cinnamon, dried, ground
    • 1 lb 5 oz *Carrots, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
    • 1 lb 1 oz *Onions, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
    • - - Lemon juice, fresh squeezed, seeds removed or bottled
    • 64 fl oz (4 lb) Chicken broth, low-sodium
    • 4 oz Olives, ripe, black, canned, drained, sliced
    • 12½ oz Couscous, uncooked
    • - - Mint leaves, fresh, chopped

    Measure

    • 1 spray Nonstick cooking spray
    • 25 drumsticks Chicken drumsticks, with bone and skin, raw (about 3.7 oz each)
    • ¼ cup Canola oil
    • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Coriander, dried, ground
    • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Cumin, dried, ground
    • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Ginger, dried, ground
    • 2 tsp Cinnamon, dried, ground
    • 1 qt ¾ cup *Carrots, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
    • 1 qt ¼ cup *Onions, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
    • 1 cup Lemon juice, fresh squeezed, seeds removed or bottled
    • 2 qt Chicken broth, low-sodium
    • 1 cup Olives, ripe, black, canned, drained, sliced
    • 2 cup Couscous, uncooked
    • 2 Tbsp OR 25 leaves Mint leaves, fresh, chopped

    50 Servings

      Weight

      • - - Nonstick cooking spray
      • 11 lb 5 oz Chicken drumsticks, with bone and skin, raw (about 3.7 oz each)
      • - - Canola oil
      • - - Coriander, dried, ground
      • - - Cumin, dried, ground
      • - - Ginger, dried, ground
      • - - Cinnamon, dried, ground
      • 2 lb 10 oz *Carrots, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
      • 2 lb 2 oz *Onions, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
      • - - Lemon juice, fresh squeezed, seeds removed or bottled
      • 128 fl oz (8 lb) Chicken broth, low-sodium
      • 8 oz Olives, ripe, black, canned, drained, sliced
      • 1 lb 9 oz Couscous, uncooked
      • - - Mint leaves, fresh, chopped

      Measure

      • 2 sprays Nonstick cooking spray
      • 50 drumsticks Chicken drumsticks, with bone and skin, raw (about 3.7 oz each)
      • ½ cup Canola oil
      • 2 Tbsp 2 tsp Coriander, dried, ground
      • 2 Tbsp 2 tsp Cumin, dried, ground
      • 2 Tbsp 2 tsp Ginger, dried, ground
      • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Cinnamon, dried, ground
      • 2 qt 1½ cups *Carrots, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
      • 2 qt ½ cup *Onions, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
      • 2 cups Lemon juice, fresh squeezed, seeds removed or bottled
      • 4 qt Chicken broth, low-sodium
      • 2 cups Olives, ripe, black, canned, drained, sliced
      • 1 qt Couscous, uncooked
      • ¼ cup OR 50 leaves Mint leaves, fresh, chopped

      -

      25 Servings

        Weight

        • - - Nonstick cooking spray
        • 5 lb 12½ oz Chicken drumsticks, with bone and skin, raw (about 3.7 oz each)
        • - - Canola oil
        • - - Coriander, dried, ground
        • - - Cumin, dried, ground
        • - - Ginger, dried, ground
        • - - Cinnamon, dried, ground
        • 1 lb 5 oz *Carrots, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
        • 1 lb 1 oz *Onions, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
        • - - Lemon juice, fresh squeezed, seeds removed or bottled
        • 64 fl oz (4 lb) Chicken broth, low-sodium
        • 4 oz Olives, ripe, black, canned, drained, sliced
        • 12½ oz Couscous, uncooked
        • - - Mint leaves, fresh, chopped

        Measure

        • 1 spray Nonstick cooking spray
        • 25 drumsticks Chicken drumsticks, with bone and skin, raw (about 3.7 oz each)
        • ¼ cup Canola oil
        • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Coriander, dried, ground
        • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Cumin, dried, ground
        • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Ginger, dried, ground
        • 2 tsp Cinnamon, dried, ground
        • 1 qt ¾ cup *Carrots, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
        • 1 qt ¼ cup *Onions, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
        • 1 cup Lemon juice, fresh squeezed, seeds removed or bottled
        • 2 qt Chicken broth, low-sodium
        • 1 cup Olives, ripe, black, canned, drained, sliced
        • 2 cup Couscous, uncooked
        • 2 Tbsp OR 25 leaves Mint leaves, fresh, chopped

        50 Servings

          Weight

          • - - Nonstick cooking spray
          • 11 lb 5 oz Chicken drumsticks, with bone and skin, raw (about 3.7 oz each)
          • - - Canola oil
          • - - Coriander, dried, ground
          • - - Cumin, dried, ground
          • - - Ginger, dried, ground
          • - - Cinnamon, dried, ground
          • 2 lb 10 oz *Carrots, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
          • 2 lb 2 oz *Onions, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
          • - - Lemon juice, fresh squeezed, seeds removed or bottled
          • 128 fl oz (8 lb) Chicken broth, low-sodium
          • 8 oz Olives, ripe, black, canned, drained, sliced
          • 1 lb 9 oz Couscous, uncooked
          • - - Mint leaves, fresh, chopped

          Measure

          • 2 sprays Nonstick cooking spray
          • 50 drumsticks Chicken drumsticks, with bone and skin, raw (about 3.7 oz each)
          • ½ cup Canola oil
          • 2 Tbsp 2 tsp Coriander, dried, ground
          • 2 Tbsp 2 tsp Cumin, dried, ground
          • 2 Tbsp 2 tsp Ginger, dried, ground
          • 1 Tbsp 1 tsp Cinnamon, dried, ground
          • 2 qt 1½ cups *Carrots, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
          • 2 qt ½ cup *Onions, fresh, peeled, ¼″ diced
          • 2 cups Lemon juice, fresh squeezed, seeds removed or bottled
          • 4 qt Chicken broth, low-sodium
          • 2 cups Olives, ripe, black, canned, drained, sliced
          • 1 qt Couscous, uncooked
          • ¼ cup OR 50 leaves Mint leaves, fresh, chopped

          Instructions

          • Preheat oven to 400 °F.
          • Coat two extra-large skillets, a flat top, or a griddle with nonstick cooking spray. Heat on medium-high heat.
          • Brown chicken on all four sides, about 2–3 minutes per side.
          • Remove chicken from heat and place on a sheet pan. Remove skin, cover, and set aside.
          • Roast vegetables: In a large bowl toss oil, spices, carrots, and onions. Transfer to steam table pan (12″ x 20″ x 4″). Spread seasoned vegetables in a single layer in the steam table pan.
            For 25 servings, use 1 pan.
            For 50 servings, use 2 pans.
          • Roast uncovered in the oven until vegetables start to become tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven. Do not turn oven off.
          • For 25 servings, mix lemon juice and 1 qt chicken broth together in a medium stockpot.
            For 50 servings, mix lemon juice and 2 qt chicken broth together in a large stockpot.
            Reserve remaining chicken broth for step 10 to cook the couscous.
          • Bring to a boil on medium-high heat, continue boiling for 5 minutes to reduce a small portion of the liquid. Remove from heat and pour the liquid over the partially roasted carrots and onions. Stir in olives.
          • Place 25 chicken legs in each steam table pan with the vegetables and reduced liquid. Place steam table pan(s) back into the 400 °F oven and bake uncovered for 40–45 minutes.
            Critical Control Point: Heat to 165 °F or higher for at least 15 seconds.
          • Prepare the couscous: In a large saucepan, add 1 quart chicken broth. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat on the stove. Stir in couscous and remove from the heat. Cover and let stand for 15–20 minutes. When done, couscous will be soft.
            Critical Control Point: Heat to 140 °F or higher for at least 15 seconds.
          • Fluff couscous with a fork and gently stir in the mint.
          • Serve 1 drumstick with ⅓ cup ( No. 12 scoop) mixed vegetables and ¼ cup (No. 16 scoop) couscous.
            Critical Control Point: Hold at 140 °F or higher.

          Notes

          *See Marketing Guide for purchasing information on foods that will change during preparation or when a variation of the ingredients is available.
          Variations
          If chicken is frozen, defrost in the refrigerator. Hold raw chicken at 40 °F or lower.
          Add hot chili sauce if desired. The addition of hot chili sauce will increase the amount of sodium in the recipe.
          Traditionally couscous is cooked over broth and vegetables or water but for ease of preparation in the CACFP the cooking method was modified.
          When taking temperature of raw chicken, do not touch the bone as it is hotter than the meat.

          Nutrition

          Serving: 1drumstick, ⅓ cup (No. 12 scoop) mixed vegetables, and ¼ cup (No. 16 scoop) couscous. | Calories: 166 | Total Carbohydrate: 14g | Protein: 15g | Total Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 120mg | Dietary Fiber: 2g | Total Sugars: 2g | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 1mg