Moroccan-Style Chicken & Butternut Squash With Couscous Salad

Before you begin...

Get all your ingredients and equipment ready

Skim through these steps, then wash your fruit and veg

Before you start cooking, take your chicken out of the fridge, open the packet and let it air

Note: Equipment and pan sizes vary. Make sure you cook food thoroughly (even if it takes you a little longer than 10 min)

Now, let's get started!

Add the diced chicken breast to a bowl with your baharat, cayenne pepper (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and soy sauce and give everything a good mix up until the chicken is coated

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of olive oil over a medium high heat

Once hot, add the coated chicken and cook for 4-5 min until starting to brown

Meanwhile, boil half a kettle

Add your butternut squash cubes to a heatproof bowl

Cover the bowl with cling film and pierce a few holes in the top

Put the bowl in the microwave and cook for 3-4 min or until the butternut squash is fork-tender

Chop your parsley finely, including the stalks

Drain and rinse your chickpeas

Combine your pomegranate molasses, red wine vinegar, 2 tbsp [3 tbsp] [4 tbsp] olive oil and 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] cold water in a large bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper – this is your pomegranate dressing

Add your couscous to a large heatproof bowl with your chopped dates, 130ml [195ml] [260ml] boiled water and a pinch of salt, cover with a tea towel and set aside

Fluff with a fork before serving

Once the butternut squash is fork-tender, add it to the pan with the drained chickpeas and cook for 4-5 min further or until the chicken is cooked through (no pink meat!) – this is your Moroccan-style chicken & butternut squash

Wash your salad, then pat it dry with kitchen paper

Add the salad and half the chopped parsley (you'll use the rest later!) to the bowl with the couscous

Add half of the pomegranate dressing (save the rest for garnish!) and gently mix it all together – this is your couscous salad