This Slow Cooker Chicken with lime and couscous recipe is so easy to make and it has a ton of flavors! It's so hearty, and loaded healthy veggies! The perfect chicken dinner for busy weeknights!
Today I am going to share one of my favorite chicken recipes, Slow cooker Chicken with lime and couscous. Cooking chicken in a slow cooker is one of my favorite cooking methods as it gives food a taste that cannot be found through other methods.
This crock-pot chicken dish uses simple ingredients that you can find in your pantry. The chicken is seasoned with a blend of paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, coriander, cumin, and lime.
To make it even healthier, I added some fresh veggies, which also boosts the flavor of the lime chicken.
Now let’s talk about the preparation and cooking process.
This slow cooker chicken recipe requires a small amount of preparation. It involves chopping the garlic, slicing the veggies, and searing or browning the chicken thighs.
Browning the chicken is a crucial component of many chicken recipes. By browning the outside, you are ensuring a crispy exterior that will protect the meat underneath and provide a nice texture. It gives the dish a bit of a more complex flavor and adds some color for presentation.
I browned the chicken for about 5 minutes on each side before adding it to the slow cooker. You may skip this step, it’s entirely up to you and definitely not necessary.
The Preparation:
- Rinse chicken (if needed); pat dry with paper towels.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season with salt/pepper.
- Add chicken pieces to hot oil in a single layer without crowding.
- Sear the chicken thighs for about 5-6 minutes on each side or until the skin has a nice golden brown color.
The Slow Cooking Process:
Here are some important steps to follow while cooking this chicken with lime and couscous in an instant pot.
- Place fresh vegetables on the bottom of the slow cooker.
- Combine chicken broth and white wine, pour on top of vegetables.
- Put the seared chicken thighs on top of the vegetables.
- Cover and cook for 3 hours on high heat or 6-7 hours on low heat (Or until the internal temperature should register 165 degrees F).
How to Cook the Couscous:
The first thing you may notice about this recipe is that that it has couscous. Couscous is delicious, and versatile in texture. Couscous can be eaten as a side dish, salad, or use it in place of rice or quinoa. It also offers a wide variety of health benefits: good source of protein, fiber, and essential vitamins, such as B vitamin. On that note I should mention that I cook this recipe in two ways:
- For heartier result: Cook the couscous together with other ingredients right inside the slow cooker
- For less starchy results: Cook the couscous separately. Quickly rinse the cooked couscous with cold water to remove starch, then pour into the Crock- Pot® slow cooker before serving.
Note: If you choose for option 2, you may want to cut the amount of chicken broth in half (or only ยผ cup of chicken broth)
Hope you'd enjoy this Slow Cooker Chicken with Lime and Couscous recipe! Don't forget to come back and rate this recipe!
๐ Recipe
Slow Cooker Lime Chicken
Ingredients
- 6 pieces chicken thighs, skin-on (about 3 pounds)
- 1 ½ tablespoon olive oil
- salt/pepper for browning the chicken
- 1 cup dried Israeli Couscous
Produce/Vegetables:
- 1 cup fresh small carrots
- 1 cup fresh julienned red bell pepper
- 1 medium-sized red onion, (cut into big chunks)
- 7 cloves garlic, (finely chopped)
Spice Mixture:
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ยผ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
- 1 ยฝ teaspoon ground coriander
- a dash of cumin powder
- 1 large lime , (about 3 tablespoons of lime juice)
- Zest from 1 lime
Broth Base:
- ½ cup chicken broth , (Note: use only ¼ cup chicken broth if you want to cook the Israeli Couscous separately)
- 2 tablespoon dry white wine
Instructions
Browning the Chicken:
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat.
- Drizzle the chicken with olive oil and season with salt/pepper.
- Sear the chicken thighs for about 5-6 minutes on each side or until the skin has a nice golden brown color.
- Transfer to a large bowl and mix in the spices mixture and lime juice. Be sure to rub mixture over both sides of the chicken.
Cooking in a Slow Cooker:
- Place fresh vegetables (bell pepper, carrots, red onion, garlic cloves): on the bottom of Crock-Pot® slow cooker.
- Combine chicken broth and white wine, pour on top of vegetables. (please see notes)
- Put the seared chicken thighs on top of the vegetables.
- Cover and Cook for 3 hours on high heat or 6-7 hours on low heat (Or until the internal temperature should register 165 degrees F)
Adding Couscous:
- Option 1: Once the chicken is fully cooked, remove the lid and add uncooked couscous into the slow cooker. Add a bit extra broth if necessary. Cover and cook for 30 minutes longer or until couscous is cooked.
- Option 2: Cook the couscous separately. Quickly rinse the cooked couscous with cold water to remove starch, then pour into the slow cooker before serving. (please see notes).
Liz Mays says
Oh wow, this sounds like such a good comfort meal and a great use of couscous. I know I'd like these flavors.
Kate | My Mommy Brain says
Yum!!! That sounds amazing. Couscous and chicken is a favorite combo! I will definitely give this recipe a try. I have the same Crock-Pot and love it so much. I use it all year (it's great in the summer when I don't want to turn on the oven!).
Dawn McAlexander says
That looks really good! We use our Crock Pot almost daily here. As a matter of fact, we made Crock Pot mac and cheese just yesterday and we are making chili beans tonight!
Kathleen Kennedy-Leon says
We love to use our crock pot. and having new ideas to is always appreciated. This looks like a great combo-haven't tried couscous and chicken as yet--it's next
Jenn Mitchell (@comebackmomma) says
My mouth is watering. This looks so amazing! I need to use our slow cooker more often.
MryJhnsn (@mryjhnsn) says
I once hated my crock pot but I love it now. This makes me want to break it out again and make this.
Jasmine Watts says
Yumm... This looks so delicious!! I love using the slow cooker whenever I can!
Mindi says
This has become one of my family's favorite meals. I tend to tweak the vegetables to use up things in the refrigerator. Today there's a zucchini mixed in with everything else. Definitely give this one a try.
Rika Livingston says
I am so glad to hear that Mindi! I appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback!
Rika Livingston says
If you have some leftover couscous, be sure to try this easy soup recipe: https://poshjournal.com/couscous-soup