Blackened Chicken with Cilantro Lime Couscous

This time of year, it's typical for one to find me with my face buried in a mountain of papers and books. My life becomes engulfed by the copious amounts of rough drafts, papers, and reading that sometimes I enjoy, sometimes I do not (I'm looking at you Ford Maddox Ford...) 

Either way, I eventually have to come up for air... which usually means a quick pop over to Pinterest. It was during one of these interludes that I found a recipe that made me very very hungry. 

I know I can only speak for myself, but I love me some cilantro. Really, I could eat this stuff just as it is. I love the smell, the taste, how it looks. Yeah, I have a slightly obsessive nature. 

Blackened Chicken with Cilantro Lime Couscous

4 servings

Ingredients:

4 chicken breasts, defrosted

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 tsp curry

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne (if you really like spicy food, you can up this to 1/4 tsp)

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup lime juice

1 box couscous

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 can chicken stock

1 avocado

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Combine all of the dry seasonings in a bowl; sprinkle over both sides of the chicken, rubbing the mixture into the chicken breasts. Heat olive oil over medium heat for a minute and add the chicken. Cook covered for 7 minutes on each side.

In a pan, heat the can of chicken stock until it's just begun to boil. Immediately remove from heat, stir in the couscous, cover and let sit for 5 minutes; fluff with a fork. Add chopped cilantro and lime juice. Stir to combine. 

In a blender/food processor, add the flesh of the avocado and the Greek yogurt. Blend until it's your desired thickness level. 

Slice chicken and serve on a bed of couscous with the cream sauce dolloped on top. Voila! 

Pretty easy right? Other things to love about this meal: it's low in sodium and the chicken is great lean protein. Do yourself a favor: have another serving.