Lemon Pearl Cous Cous Chicken Salad

1) Chicken: (I made this as part of the recipe and it accounts for the longer cooking time, which otherwise would be about 10-15 minutes if you already have some precooked chicken or a can of it). Simmer 1/2 of a chicken breast in chicken stock (I used stock cubes) for 30 minutes. Take out and shred with two forks. (This method resulted in dry chicken for me, I’d prefer to use leftovers but I didn’t have any.)

2) Spray a saucepan with cooking spray/olive oil. Saute onion briefly on medium heat until lightly browned. Remove most of the onion leaving a tablespoon or so in the saucepan.

3) Add pearl cous cous to saucepan and turn heat up to medium-high and saute for a few minutes until there are a few brown spots on the cous cous.

4) Add cup of boiling water to the saucepan along with a small amount of chicken stock (I used a couple spoons out of the chicken cooking water) and cover. Turn down the heat until it’s just simmering. Stir every couple minutes and make sure to check it often! Pearl cous cous can absorb the liquid very quickly and it starts to stick as soon as there is no excess water in the saucepan. It should take about 5 minutes and will be nicely chewy/al dente when done.

5) When cous cous is almost done (nearly all water absorbed) add butter and oil to a frying pan on medium-low to medium heat. Saute onions and broccoli for 2-3 minutes until broccoli is bright green and just cooked.

6) Mix sauce ingredients (except honey), dissolving corn flour. (I used double of both the sugar and the honey, but others may prefer less sweet than me.) Pour into frying pan with onion and broccoli. Stir for 1-2 minutes until thickened. Then add honey and stir.

7) Add cous cous and shredded chicken to frying pan and stir until evenly coated with sauce.

8 ) Dig in! Sauce will taste more like honey initially, but will thicken further and taste more lemony after serving.