CHEF JEFF — ONE BYTE AT A TIME: Moroccan-Style Skillet Chicken

If you’re looking for a good low-fat source of complex carbohydrates, couscous is for you. It’s faster to fix than most rice and can be found in a variety of North African dishes such as the following.

Moroccan-Style Skillet Chicken

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ½-inch cubes

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 (15-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons chili powder

1¼ teaspoons ground cumin

1 cup frozen peas

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 5.8-ounce box roasted garlic and olive oil couscous, prepared according to package directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken and cook, stirring frequently, until chicken is done, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside.

Add garlic to skillet and cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, pumpkin pie spice, chili powder and cumin. Simmer 5 minutes; add peas and chicken and heat through. Stir in cilantro.

Serve chicken mixture over hot couscous.

Yield: Serves 4.

Grab more food tidbits at the Chef Jeff blog at GrandForksHerald.com.