Why this fits a family on a budget
Bone-in chicken thighs are one of the most affordable cuts available, and stretching them with canned chickpeas and couscous brings the total cost to roughly $2.45 per serving. The straightforward sear-then-roast method is beginner-friendly and mostly hands-off once the pan goes in the oven.
• 4 pieces bone-in skin-on chicken thighs
• 15 oz canned chickpeas
• 14.5 oz canned diced tomatoes
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 4 cloves garlic cloves
• 1.5 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
• 0.5 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 0.5 cup chicken broth
• 1.5 cups plain couscous
• 1 cup frozen green peas
• 1 whole lemon
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Pat chicken thighs dry with paper towels — this helps them get golden and crispy.
2. In a small bowl, mix cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper together to make the spice blend.
3. Rub the spice blend all over the chicken thighs, coating both sides evenly.
4. Heat olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet (cast iron or stainless steel) over medium-high heat until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
5. Place chicken thighs skin-side down in the skillet. Sear without moving for 5–6 minutes until the skin is deep golden brown and releases easily from the pan.
6. Flip chicken thighs skin-side up. Add sliced onion and minced garlic around the chicken and cook 2 minutes.
7. Pour in canned diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and drained chickpeas around the chicken pieces. Stir the liquid gently without disturbing the chicken skin.
8. Transfer the entire skillet to the preheated 400°F oven. Roast uncovered for 25 minutes until the chicken skin is crispy and dark golden, and a meat thermometer reads 165°F at the thickest part.
9. While chicken finishes in the oven, prepare couscous: bring 1.5 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan, stir in couscous and frozen peas, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.
10. Squeeze the juice of half the lemon over the finished chicken and chickpea mixture. Taste the sauce and add salt if needed — it should smell warm and fragrant.
11. Slice remaining lemon half into wedges. Serve chicken and chickpea sauce over couscous, garnished with fresh parsley and lemon wedges.
Cost is a national-average estimate and varies by store and region.
This recipe was generated by Plento Pasto's AI from a library of family-friendly dishes and reviewed for a real photo before publishing. Cooking times, costs, and nutrition are estimates — use your judgment in the kitchen.