Dinner Tonight: Roast Chicken & Couscous

Inspiration for tonight's dinner: aching for spring, its taste in our minds but not quite on our tongues. Hearty yet bright, Citrus Olive Couscous sparkles with briny green olives and tangy orange juice. Serve with Lemon and Onion Roasted Chicken accompanied by the last of those wintery root vegetables and with this meal, bid good riddance -- or, if you're feeling generous, a fond farewell -- to winter! Bring on the sunshine, the little sprouty tendrils, the blushing pink blossoms. 

We've provided a menu, grocery list, and game plan below, but to read the fully fleshed-out recipes (and save and print them) just click on the recipe link or photos. Dinner is served! 

The Menu 

Citrus Olive Couscous by vegetarianirvana 

Lemon and Onion Roasted Chicken by Bevi

The Grocery List (for 4)

3 carrots
3 parsnips
1 fennel bulb
2 handfuls fingerling potatoes
3 sweet onions
1 sweet potato
1 4-5 pound chicken
1 cup uncooked Israeli couscous
10 salty green olives
Fresh thyme or rosemary (a sprig or so of each)
A few sage leaves

We assume you have olive oil, lemons, salt, pepper and garlic in your fridge and pantry! Heck, you might even have a few of the fresh herbs and root vegetables on this grocery list, which would be pretty neat because you're just that much closer to dinner time. 

The Plan 

1. This dinner tonight is a little more time-consuming than usual, but it involves roasting a (small) chicken, so you already knew that. It'll be worth it though, again, because it involves a whole roast chicken. You probably knew that, too. Anyway, that chicken needs to get into the oven first thing, so set your sights on that bird. Chop up all those root vegetables, and stuff some lovely aromatics into the cavity of the chicken. Lickety split, and into the oven. 80 minutes at 375. 

2. The couscous will take 40 minutes at the most, so this is a good time to mix a cocktail and talk about your day with your favorite people. Or, if it's been a long and trying kind of day, just pick something juicy from the DVR and veg out.

3. By now you're settled in and officially relaxed, and making the couscous should be kind of fun. So do it! Yum.

4. Plate it up! Roasted chicken and vegetables, lemony and rich rounded out with a mound of chewy and flavorful couscous. Dinner is served!