Middle Eastern Chicken and Couscous Wraps with Goat Cheese.
Monday, you come too fast.
At least I am bringing a little excitement, pleasure and color (aren’t they kind of Christmassy?) to the table. You know, a little kick-start to the week. These are not just any wraps either, these are some of the best I have ever made. They are kind of like the middle eastern gyro but with a twist. Please listen when I say, YOU HAVE TO make these.
They are so stinkin’ good.
These wraps are REAL food. You know, food other than cookies, bread, cupcakes, brownies and all the other Christmas treats we are consuming on these busy, and way too short, December days.
And when I say we, I do mean we. Don’t lie, you know you are currently either eating or craving a cookie. And if you are not you probably just had one.
Just sayin.
I love Christmas treats and Christmas anything. I am a total cheese ball this time of year (oh, and these real cheese balls? I want one of these too now!) To be honest, I am sort of jumping out of my skin about the sweets I have been coming up with and also about what I did with this bread. I am rather excited to share. Lots of good, sweet things to come. But for now… wraps.
Obviously, I am having a hard time focusing. Blame it on Monday and all the craziness around here. It is so hard to focus with the constant distractions of people everywhere. I swear sometimes I think my parents are running a wayward home for boys. No is just not in their vocabulary!
But really, aren’t the colors of the wraps amazing?
I love them. The colors and the flavor! The flavor is amazing, these wraps were one of those dinners that got the “Tieg, I think this is my new favorite”. I love when this happens. I have to say, it kind of makes my day and reminds me why I love cooking and makes the hair pulling and occasional cupcake explosions all over the oven totally worth it.
The dishes though?
I am still undecided on that one.
Let’s just talk a little about what’s in these wraps.
Everything starts with some good Naan bread. I highly recommend using this easy recipe. I make it all the time, really I do. It is quick, easy and fuss free, but also probably the very BEST Naan you will ever have. It is so good (breakfast, lunch or dinner). You can also use pita bread, but I really think the Naan is the way to go for these wraps.
So once you have your bread all taken care of you’re gonna want to spread (and be generous!) on some tahini sauce.
Tahini is just sesame seed paste (think like peanut butter, but with sesame seeds) and can be found in the ethic food aisle of most grocery stores, but you can also order it on Amazon (gotta love Amazon). Don’t worry, this is the only somewhat odd ingredient in these wraps, but trust me you want to get this. It makes the wraps and is an incredible sauce.
Next you have to add the couscous, which may be my favorite part.
They are mixed with sun-dried tomatoes (my favorite!), spinach, some other good stuff, some pistachios (my other favorite!!), some olives and some pomegranate arils (my obsession!). The chicken is marinated in greek yogurt along with some other spices, but it’s the cinnamon that it the real secret. People can’t tell it is cinnamon, but it is what makes the chicken.
Ok, now you have to top it all off with the good stuff!
Goat cheese (lots and lots and lots of goat cheese!), some more pistachios, a little cilantro and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds, because I honestly can not get enough of them (as you will see later this week).
And this is when I like to say, “take that Monday”!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Middle Eastern Chicken and Couscous Wraps with Goat Cheese
By halfbakedharvest
Course: Main Course, Sandwiches
Cuisine: Indian, Mediterranean
Keyword: chicken, couscous, wraps
These flavorsome wraps will be a family favourite
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken sliced into strips
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt I like to use Chobani 0%
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced or grated
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Couscous
- 3/4 cup dry couscous
- 1 cup water or chicken broth
- 1/2 - 1 cup spinach chopped
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/3 cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and sliced, reserve 1-2 tablespoons of the oil
- 1/3 cup kalamata olives sliced
- 1/3 cup roasted shelled pistachios chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped (may sub parsley)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons pomegranate arils here is [how to deseed a pomegranate | https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/deseed-pomegranate-pictures/
- 4 ounces goat cheese crumbled
Tahini
- 1/2 cup tahini sesame paste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced or grated
- 2 tablespoon greek yogurt
- 1 lemon juiced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4-8 pieces of [naan | https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/homemade-naan-step-step-photos/] or [pita bread | https://dev.halfbakedharvest.com/traditional-greek-pita-bread/] for serving
Instructions
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To marinate the chicken. In a medium bowl or gallon size ziplock bag combine the olive oil, greek, yogurt, ginger, garlic, pepper, cumin, crushed red pepper, cayenne and cinnamon. Add the chicken and toss well. Cover the bowl or seal the bag and place in the fridge for 30 minutes or overnight.
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In the meantime, to make the couscous. Bring the water (or broth) to a boil. Stir in the couscous cover and remove from the heat. Let sit for 5-10 minutes. After five minutes fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the spinach, honey, olives, sun-dried tomatoes + oil, pistachios, cilantro salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.
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To make the Tahini sauce. In a small bowl whisk together the tahini (if the tahini is too thick to stir microwave it for 20-30 seconds), olive oil, garlic, greek yogurt, lemon and a pinch of salt and pepper until smooth. Set aside until ready to use. Just before serving stir in the pomegranate arils.
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After 30 minutes heat a large skillet over high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When hot remove the chicken from the marinade and shake off just a little of the excess. Add the chicken to the skillet and stir fry for 4-6 minutes or until cooked through.
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To assemble the wraps, spread a little of the tahini sauce down the center of the warmed naan. Add the couscous and chicken and then top with crumbled goat cheese. If desired garnish with chopped cilantro, more pistachios and pomegranate arils. Wrap and eat!
But now I either need more pomegranate arils or cookies. It’s Monday, so I am going to go with both….you know, for balance.
Tieghan – bravo! This looks damn incredible! I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks Ali!
Look at these! Wraps with TONS of flavor!
Thanks Steph!
This looks so, so good!!! I wish I could have it for lunch today–but alas, I only have leftovers from last night. Definitely, definitely am going to make this.
Thank you, Laura! Enjoy that snow! 🙂
This looks like something my mother-in-law may enjoy. Thanks for the idea/recipe! Can’t wait to give it a try
Thanks Rie! Hope you guys all love it!
In love! I will totally be making a vegetarian version. Or maybe pescatarian with salmon? Oh yes… this will be fabulous!
Both with be so good!! I bet salmon would be killer though!
Thanks Brian!
I have a pantry full of couscous but have been uninspired to cook with it lately — until I saw this recipe! Will be making this for dinner soon, for sure!
YAy! Hope you love these, Lisa!
Ohhh that couscous looks just gorgeous! Definitely going to try to find a vegetarian way of getting that in my face! 😉
Swap the chicken for chickpeas! So good!!
Thanks Becca!
Great idea 🙂 by the way, in the photo where it’s all wrapped up, how did you get the bread to stay together rather than springing open? I find it really hard to take wrapped-up shots! Is there some trick I’m missing?
HAha! No trick. I used a toothpick. LOL! Kind of weird, but it works!
Thanks Becca!
That looks incredible!
Thanks Erin!
This dish makes me smile!! love the flavors!
Thanks Lauren!
Yum! I love these middle eastern flavors and goat cheese with anything makes me drool!
Thank you, Liz! I am really digging the middle eastern flavors right now!
I could use some “real” food in my life. My diet consists of cookies and fudge these days. This is one delicious looking recipe.
Thanks Jennie!
these look great, Tieghan. And yes, agreed–Monday comes way too fast!
Thanks Naomi!
Tieghan! this is seriously all of my favorite flavors in one dish! I love love love middle eastern food! Can’t wait to make this for myself 🙂
Thank you!! Hope you love it and girl, your drink today was KILLER! Loved it!
This looks like a GREAT weeknight meal! You can make a bunch and make it last! Yummmmmmm! Great flavors here!
That is a great idea! Thanks Sophia!
Can a wrap be gorgeous? These totally are, wish I had these for dinner tonight!
Thanks Laura!
Monday comes WAY TOO FAST. Love these wraps friend!!
Agree!
Thanks Claire!
Must try this, it is over the top amazing!
Thanks so much, Gaby!! 🙂
Oh and your guacamole today was killer!
These wraps sound so tasty!
Thanks Kevin!
I LOVE various chicken wraps but I have never thought about adding couscous to them, thanks for such a brilliant idea!
Thank you!!
Wow, I cannot get over everything you have going on here, Tieghan! So many of my favorite things, all wrapped together! Tahini, sundried tomatoes, pistachios, goat cheese, and pomegranate… ??? I’m swooning.
Thank you, Allie! Tons going on in these, but so good!
This looks delicious. I really want to make it for lunch tomorrow but I’m dairy-free. Any ideas of what I could sub for the yogurt? I’m worried that the marinade won’t be as good without it…
I would coconut milk or even coconut milk yogurt. Should work great!
Thanks Sabrina! Hope you love this!
Made these last night and they were delicious! The chicken especially was so good—the hint of cinnamon was really what made it. The only change I made was to modify the sauce. The tahini at my grocery store was really expensive and I was afraid it would go bad before I used it all, so I used Greek yogurt as my base instead and added paprika. Turned out tangy and yum!
Sounds awesome!! So happy you loved this, Thanks!
This recipe is a keeper. Even my husband, who never says much about a meal, raved about it. I marinated the chicken over night and made the tahini the night before – both a time saver. The only thing I did differently was I omitted the honey from the couscous. I thought it would have made it too sweet.
Highly recommend this recipe
So happy you loved this! THANKS!
These look downright festive! Everyone is going to want the recipe.
This was an awsome recipe. It’s winter in the Netherlands, but I just craved a healthy, summerlike recipe. I substituted the pomegrate for some fresh pear. I loved it! And more important; my hubby loved it too; so we’re definitely eating this more often 😀
Thanks!
So happy you loved it, thanks!!
I made this last night and it was incredible. Amazing flavor combinations.
SO happy you loved it! Thanks Lauren!
I love this recipe but sometimes my tahini mixture separates, what causes this, too much lemon??
Hi Ali!! This happens to me sometimes too, it is the worst! Honestly, I am not sure what it could be. Maybe the lemon, but again I am not sure. Normally I add a teaspoon of water a time to thin it out and typically that solves the problem. Hope that helps, but let me know if you have any other questions. Thanks you!! ?
Have you tried this with grilling the Chicken? I would assume it would work just fine and add so much to the flavor. This looks great and can’t wait to try it out.
I have and it does work out great!! Just grill the chicken for 8-10 minutes per side or until cooked through (depends on the size of your chicken). Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
How many people will one recipe of this feed?
This will serve about 4 people. Please let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks! 🙂
Amazing recipe, so so tasty and loved by all. Easy to make and well worth every minute;) i have tried lots of your recipes and every time they are incredible. i love your website design and photography, i think thats what makes me turn to your recipes every single time i cook (and thats alot!)
xx
Thank you so much Lyci! I am so glad you loved this recipe!
We’ve been making this regularly for a few years now and LOVE it. The mix of flavors is inspired. Just what we’ve come to expect from HBH
That is so amazing! Thank you Meghan! xTieghan
I made this recipe this evening using your homemade naan! I used your feta goddess dressing from the chicken lemon sheet pan recipe instead of tahini. I really loved the couscous and the chicken! With the naan, it felt too heavy though. When I make it again (and as I’m eating up leftovers), I’ll skip the naan and have the chicken and couscous over spinach in the form of a grain bowl with the feta dressing on top. Thank you for the most delicious couscous and chicken recipe. I think I’ll make the couscous over and over again until I’m sick of it!
Hey Sarah,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have a great week:) xTieghan