Chicken with Green Olives

Dinner tonight was a lazy man's chicken stew served over couscous. This is one of my favorite go-to recipes because it's quick, simple, and requires few fresh ingredients. Plus, I love couscous.

Chicken with Green Olives
Courtesy of Cooking Light

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 chicken thighs (about 2 pounds), skinned
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
Dash of ground red pepper
1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2/3 cup pitted green olives
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 cups hot cooked couscous

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add chicken to pan; cook 10 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove chicken from pan; reduce heat to medium.

Add 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, onion, and the next 8 ingredients (onion through bay leaf); cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add broth; bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan, and reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Discard cinnamon and bay leaf.

While chicken cooks, place olives in a small saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; drain. Repeat procedure. Add olives and juice to chicken mixture; sprinkle with cilantro. Serve over couscous.

Yields 4 servings (serving size: 2 chicken thighs, 1/2 cup sauce, and 3/4 cup couscous)