This recipe is a really lovely one when you want to spend a little more time on cooking a tasty meal that looks lovely and impressive. If you would prefer the recipe can be done for more people with a chicken or with chicken thighs. However, I do think meat on the bone works best in this recipe as it stays juicy. (Mum and dad, if you’re reading this I apologise for putting this in my post, I promise I’m still horribly bad at picking meat off bones!) Anyway, I made this for J last Friday and he really enjoyed it.

To make this you will need:

1 poussin

1 teaspoon harissa

Olive oil

2 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon ras al hout

Chicken stock (approx 1/2 pint)

200g giant cous cous

1 courgette

A handful of pumpkin seeds

Tenderstem or purple sprouting brocolli (about 3 stems each)

1/2 a lemon

(serves 2)

Preheat the oven to 190°C. Spatch your poussin. I can offer you no better advice that looking on this blog post.

Drizzle olive oil over your poussin, crush over some garlic and spoon over your harissa. Rub onto the poussin well until the whole bird is covered. Wash your hands after handling raw chicken. Roast the bird for 45 minutes.

After the poussin has been cooking for around 30 minutes heat the garlic and a good slosh of olive oil in a large frying pan.

Once the garlic is soft add the cous cous, stock and ras al hanout to the pan.

Add the brocolli to the pan and keep stirring. If the cous cous starts to dry out add more stock or water.

Remove the poussin from the oven and allow to rest for a few minutes.

Slice the courgette and add to the pan along with the pumpkin seeds.

When the cous cous and vegetables are cooked add the lemon juice to the pan and stir in. Half the poussin and add to the pan. You don’t have to do this but it makes the dish look seriously impressive.

Serve to a very hungry person. For some reason I find dishes cooked with chicken stock extremely comforting.

Enjoy your meal that is both hearty and healthy.