Comments on: Backpacker’s Moroccan Chicken Couscous

By: robel

robel

I sub’d using Garam Masala instead of making the Ras el Hanout and didn’t add chicken/protein. It turned out a bit sweeter than expected but real good. Thanks, next time I’m going to make the Ras.

By: CC

Our group did a taste-testing of many backpacking recipes and this was a favorite. We made it as written except for subbing freeze-dried chicken for packaged. Using raisins in addition to or in place of some of the apricots sounds tasty.

By: Fresh Out Do

Fresh Out Do

In reply to Nathan. Thank you for sharing! First off, very smart of you to make this ahead of time. I'm glad you were able to catch some improvements at home before putting the meal to the test out on the trail. While we love using spice blends to simplify our ingredient list, each brand can taste so different from another that it makes it very hard to give precise measurements. Never mind homemade versions. On top of that, everyone has a different spice tolerance. So I think you did exactly the right thing. Try it at home first, dial it in, and then take it out with you. Thank you for sharing your thoughts. Hope you can make this one work for you!

By: Alexis

Alexis

This recipe was perfect. Light and easy to prep. We made it with soy curls and it was so good! I’ll probably add it to my home recipe rotation. The spice blend was pretty easy to make after quick google search. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes.

By: Nathan

Nathan

I think this recipe is promising. I had it for dinner at home last night and enjoyed it, but I’m thinking I will tweak it a bit next time. I’m inclined to add a bit more water next time.

The big issue I had was the level of spice. I didn’t have the Ras El Hanout, so I found a recipe online and made my own blend. I thought that the 4 teaspoons was rather excessive, so I dialed it back to 2 teaspoons…. and still found it to be really quite spicy and flavorful. I’m not sure if my recipe for the spice blend was considerably different than what others use – but next time I think I will try it with just 1 teaspoon. I’m surprised to hear that another commenter found it bland….

By: rubrodisca

rubrodisca

**This is a keeper!** I make our dinners into soupy one-pot meals by always using 5-6 C water to start with. To compensate, I increased the salt quite a bit and added two chicken bouillon cubes and the spice packet that came with the couscous. I used a recipe from thespruceeats.com for ras el haout and a pinch of dried lemon peel instead of the True Lemon packet. Boil the water, add 1 oz dried veggies, the apricot pieces and the bouillon cubes. Once the veggies have rehydrated, add the chicken and simmer a few minutes to thoroughly warm it up. Then add the couscous, sliced almonds, spice mixture and oil. Remove from heat, mix well, cover and let sit 5 minutes for the couscous to rehydrate. This was the perfect amount for the two of us (we weigh 250 lbs combined).

By: Fresh Out Do

Fresh Out Do

In reply to Krystal. We're so glad you liked it!

By: Krystal

Krystal

I just tested this recipe for a trip I’m hoping to take later in the summer. Good stuff! I included both apricots and golden raisins and used a “garlic and olive oil” couscous. Good flavors and a nice mix of textures. Recommended!

By: Fresh Out Do

Fresh Out Do

In reply to MNFossa. We just did a major revision of this recipe after receiving feedback that it wasn't working out for people. (Primarily that the couscous ratio was too high) This new version simplifies the ingredients and addresses the issues with portions. We just had this for lunch and feel really proud of the way it came out. We apologize that the previous iteration of this recipe wasn't as solid as it could have been.

By: Fresh Out Do

Fresh Out Do

In reply to G. Roberson. The water is just to cook the couscous, so you would need to adjust it if you are using a different protein source like soy curls or TVP. The packaging on the soy curls should give some indication on how much water you'll need to add.