Why This Recipe Works

Poached chicken gets a bad rap for being bland, but here we avoid this pitfall by pairing the chicken with flavorful couscous cooked in the poaching liquid. And to keep things lively, we turn to Italian cooking for inspiration, creating a flavorful salsa verde made with anchovies, capers, and parsley and using it to dress a tangle of sharp, crunchy slivers of red onion. The bright flavors of this recipe make it a great al fresco meal.

Before You Begin

One 10-ounce box of couscous will give you the 1½ cups needed for this recipe.

Instructions

Fill small bowl halfway with ice and water, add 1 small red onion, halved and sliced ½ inch thick, and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 smashed and peeled garlic cloves and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 2 cups chicken broth, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon table salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and bring to boil. Add 4 chicken breasts, cover, and adjust heat to medium-low. Simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate and tent with foil. Discard garlic.

Stir 1½ cups couscous into simmering liquid then immediately remove skillet from heat. Let stand, covered, until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 5 minutes. Fluff with fork, then stir in 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Meanwhile, process 1 cup parsley leaves, ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, 2 anchovies, 2 tablespoons capers, and remaining 2 smashed and peeled garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ¼ teaspoon salt in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to bowl. Drain onion and stir into salsa verde. Slice chicken and serve with couscous and salad, garnishing with remaining ½ cup parsley.