When you want pasta in no time, couscous is your best friend! The tiny pasta balls cook up in minutes, and absorb all the water so you don’t have to fuss with draining. Tossed with sautéed vegetables plus leftover chicken, it’s a fast and tasty meal in a bowl that’s perfect as an easy dinner recipe. Serves about 6. From Eating Well.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole-wheat pearl couscous (see Tip)

• ¼ cup tahini

• ¼ cup water

• 2 teaspoons lemon zest

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 2 cups sliced mushrooms (half of a 10-oz. package)

• ½ medium red bell pepper, chopped

• 4 cups coleslaw mix (half of a 12- to 14-oz. package)

• 4 cups baby spinach (half of a 5-oz. bag)

• 12 ounces cooked chicken breast, chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)

• ¼ cup toasted sliced almonds

• ¼ cup crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

• 1 lemon, cut into wedges (Optional)

Directions

Step 1

Cook couscous in a medium saucepan according to package directions. Fluff with a fork and set aside.

Step 2

Meanwhile, whisk tahini, water, lemon juice, 1 Tbsp. oil, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper in a small bowl until well blended; set aside.

Step 3

Heat the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and bell pepper; cook until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 3 minutes.

Step 4

Stir in coleslaw mix and spinach; continue cooking, stirring, until the spinach wilts, about 2 minutes. Stir in chicken, the couscous, and the tahini sauce; cook until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes.

Step 5

Sprinkle with almonds, feta, parsley, and lemon zest. Serve with lemon wedges, if desired.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: About 1 Cup

Per Serving:

348 calories; protein 26g; carbohydrates 27g; dietary fiber 6g; sugars 1g; fat 16g; saturated fat 3g; cholesterol 52mg; sodium 372mg.