Roasted Chicken Thighs with Zucchini and Couscous

Roasted Chicken Thighs with Zucchini and Couscous
Everyday Food, June 2008 p. 84
4 servings

8 chicken thighs
2 zucchini (about 1 pound), halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise
1 cup couscous
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 450, with rack in upper third. Season chicken with salt and pepper; place, skin side down, on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes.
2. Remove sheet from oven, and turn chicken, skin side up. Scatter zucchini around chicken, and season with salt and pepper; toss with pan juices. Return sheet to oven, and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of a thigh (avoiding bone) registers 165, 7 to 10 minutes more.
3. Meanwhile, bring 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan; season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat, and stir in couscous. Cover, and let stand until all the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork. Stir in parsley, vinegar, roasted zucchini, and 2 tablespoons pan juices; season with salt and pepper. Serve chicken with zucchini and couscous.

This meal came together very quickly tonight. I was surprised how much flavor the chicken had even though it was only seasoned with salt and pepper. I did not have any parsley on hand so I just added some minced garlic instead. I didn't make anything else to go with the meal so we also had some canned pears. It rounded the flavors out nicely.