Chicken with Artichokes and Israeli Couscous
This is the kind of weeknight dinner that looks like you spent hours on it but comes together without drama. The chicken browns quickly, the garlic and scallion whites bloom in the pan, and artichokes plus sun-dried tomatoes give the sauce a bright, slightly tangy lift. I like to serve it with Israeli couscous for its chewy pearls that soak up the sauce—comforting and elegant in equal measure.
There are a few small technique notes that make a big difference: pound the chicken thin for even cooking, drain the oil from the sun-dried tomatoes so things don’t get greasy, and scrape the fond from the pan so the sauce tastes of browned chicken instead of raw broth. The recipe below follows a simple, reliable sequence that keeps flavors layered and fresh.
Make a batch, spoon the artichoke–tomato sauce over the chicken, scatter the green scallion tops, and enjoy. Leftovers reheat beautifully, and the components are forgiving—just read the notes and the easy-to-miss gotchas so everything stays juicy and bright.
Ingredients
- 6 boneless skinless chicken breasts — the main protein; pounding them thin ensures even, quick cooking.
- Kosher salt and pepper — essential for seasoning; season both sides of the chicken before dredging.
- 1/4 cup flour (I used Wondra flour, made by Gold Medal) — for light dredging to create a thin crust and help the sauce cling.
- 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained, and sliced into strips — concentrated tomato flavor; drain well to avoid excess oil in the pan.
- 1/4 cup olive oil — split between browning the chicken and sautéing aromatics.
- 1 can artichoke hearts packed in water, drained, and halved — adds tender, slightly tangy bites and bulk to the sauce.
- A bunch of scallions, thinly sliced — whites and greens are used separately; whites flavor the sauce, greens finish the dish.
- 4 garlic cloves, sliced thinly — adds a fragrant backbone; slice thin so they hit the oil and soften quickly.
- 1 cup chicken broth — the braising liquid that picks up browned bits and forms the sauce.
Ingredient Notes
Start with good-quality chicken breasts and flattening them is the single most important step for even cooking. When breasts are uneven, the thin parts overcook while the thick parts finish; pounding to roughly 1/2 inch eliminates that problem.
Wondra or a similar quick-absorbing flour is optional, but its fine texture helps create a uniform coating that browns without getting clumpy. The sun-dried tomatoes in oil are easy because the oil adds flavor; just be sure to drain and slice so they disperse through the sauce without pooling oil in the skillet.
Artichoke hearts from a can are perfectly fine here—the water-packed ones keep the dish bright and prevent extra oil. Scallions give a depth of onion flavor where the white parts are cooked into the sauce and the green tops are used raw as a fresh finish. The chicken broth ties everything together and deglazing the pan is where the flavor amplifies.
Chicken with Artichokes and Israeli Couscous in Steps
- Place a chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap or in a large zipper bag and flatten with a meat mallet until about 1/2 inch thick. Repeat with remaining breasts.
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with kosher salt and pepper.
- Put the 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish. Dredge each seasoned chicken breast in the flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the 1/4 cup olive oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken breasts in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Sauté until lightly browned and cooked through, about 3–5 minutes per side depending on thickness. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the same skillet. Add the sliced garlic and the white parts of the scallions; sauté until fragrant and the scallion whites soften, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the 1 cup chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer.
- Add the drained, halved artichoke hearts and the drained, sliced sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet. Simmer until the artichokes and tomatoes are heated through and the sauce has slightly reduced, about 2–3 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning the sauce over them. Simmer for 1–2 minutes more to warm the chicken through and meld the flavors.
- Serve the chicken with the artichoke–tomato sauce spooned over the top and sprinkle with the remaining (green) parts of the sliced scallions.
Why Cooks Rave About It
There’s a satisfying textural contrast here: the lightly floured, browned chicken against soft artichokes and chewy pearls of Israeli couscous (if you choose to serve it that way). The sauce is deceptively simple—browned bits lifted with chicken broth, bright sun-dried tomato sweetness, and the garlic-plus-scallion base that keeps it layered rather than one-note.
It’s also a crowd-pleaser because it’s adaptable. The components are pantry-friendly, and the method—dredge, brown, deglaze, simmer—is a template that produces reliable results every time. You can double it for guests or trim down for a smaller meal without losing the essence of what makes the dish work.
Ingredient Flex Options
Want to tweak this to what you have on hand? Here are cautious options that don’t change the method:
- Broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth if you want more control over salt—season at the end.
- Tomatoes: If your sun-dried tomatoes are packed dry instead of in oil, rehydrate briefly in warm water before slicing so they soften and release flavor.
- Artichokes: If your canned artichokes are larger or smaller, just halve or quarter them so they remain bite-sized and cook through in the same short time.
- Oil: If you have an oil with a neutral flavor you prefer for browning, use it but reserve a little olive oil flavor by finishing with a drizzle of the olive oil used for the sun-dried tomatoes if desired.
Recommended Tools
- Heavy-bottomed large skillet — for even browning and deglazing.
- Meat mallet or a rolling pin and a zipper bag/plastic wrap — to pound the chicken to an even thickness.
- Shallow dish — for the flour dredge so you can evenly coat each breast.
- Wooden spoon or spatula — to scrape the fond when you add the broth.
- Tongs — for turning chicken without losing the crust.
- Aluminum foil — to tent the cooked chicken and keep it warm while you finish the sauce.
Easy-to-Miss Gotchas
Small missteps can change the result. Here’s what to watch for:
- Not pounding chicken: Skip this and you’ll likely end up with uneven cooking and dry edges.
- Overcrowding the pan: Browning requires space. If you add too many breasts at once they’ll steam instead of brown—work in batches.
- Not draining sun-dried tomatoes: The oil can pool and make the sauce greasy. Drain and pat if necessary.
- Forgetting to scrape the pan: The flavored fond is where much of the sauce’s depth comes from; don’t skip deglazing with the broth.
- Cooking aromatics too long: The garlic and scallion whites only need about a minute—cook them until fragrant, not browned, to avoid bitterness.
Customize for Your Needs
If you want this for a lighter meal, serve smaller portions of chicken over a bed of vegetables or a modest scoop of Israeli couscous. To make it heartier, double the sauce by adding an extra half-cup of broth and a few more artichokes; simmer a touch longer to concentrate flavors. For a family-style plating, slice the breasts before returning them to the pan so the sauce gets into every piece.
To make it faster, prep the garlic and scallions ahead and keep the drained tomatoes and artichokes ready. If you’re cooking for one, halve the recipe and use a smaller skillet so the chicken still browns efficiently.
Behind the Recipe
This technique—a light flour dredge, quick browning, and a short pan sauce—is one I come back to when I want something that feels homey yet polished. The combination of artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes hits the sweet-and-tangy notes I like against a savory, lightly crusted chicken. Using canned artichokes keeps the prep simple and consistent, and the scallions bring fresh, oniony brightness that a plain onion can’t quite match when used both cooked and raw.
The title includes Israeli couscous because the sauce loves a chewy grain to cling to, but the method is flexible—this chicken will also suit greens or simple roasted potatoes if that’s what you have on hand.
How to Store & Reheat
Refrigerator
Cool completely and store chicken and sauce together in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep any accompaniments like Israeli couscous separate if possible to avoid sogginess.
Freezer
Seal in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating for best texture.
Reheating
Reheat gently on the stovetop over low-medium heat with a splash of chicken broth to loosen the sauce and help the chicken warm through without drying. Microwaving works in a pinch; cover and heat in short bursts, stirring or checking between bursts so the sauce heats evenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I use different parts of chicken? — Yes, but cooking times will vary. Thighs will need longer to cook through and may benefit from a slightly lower heat when browning.
- Do I have to flour the chicken? — The flour gives a thin crust and helps the sauce cling; omit it if you need a gluten-free version, but expect a slightly different texture and less sauce adhesion.
- Can I skip the sun-dried tomatoes? — You can, but they provide concentrated acidic-sweetness that balances the artichokes; if omitted, taste the sauce and consider a small splash of vinegar or broth reduction to add brightness.
- How do I serve this with Israeli couscous? — Cook the couscous according to package directions, fluff, and spoon the chicken with sauce over it so the pearls absorb the sauce.
- Is this good for leftovers? — Yes—flavors meld overnight and leftovers make excellent lunches.
Before You Go
This dish is straightforward but rewarding—focused technique and a short ingredient list produce a finished plate that feels special. If you try it, remember the three small actions that change everything: pound the chicken, drain the sun-dried tomatoes, and deglaze the pan well. Those steps keep the chicken tender and the sauce bright.
If you make it, I’d love to hear what you served it with and any small tweaks you made. Happy cooking—and enjoy the leftovers as a confident weeknight win.
Chicken with Artichokes and Israeli Couscous
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Place a chicken breast between two pieces of plastic wrap or in a large zipper bag and flatten with a meat mallet until about 1/2 inch thick. Repeat with remaining breasts.
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with kosher salt and pepper.
- Put the 1/4 cup flour in a shallow dish. Dredge each seasoned chicken breast in the flour, shaking off any excess.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the 1/4 cup olive oil. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add the chicken breasts in a single layer (work in batches if needed). Sauté until lightly browned and cooked through, about 3–5 minutes per side depending on thickness. Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the same skillet. Add the sliced garlic and the white parts of the scallions; sauté until fragrant and the scallion whites soften, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the 1 cup chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer.
- Add the drained, halved artichoke hearts and the drained, sliced sun-dried tomatoes to the skillet. Simmer until the artichokes and tomatoes are heated through and the sauce has slightly reduced, about 2–3 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if desired.
- Return the cooked chicken breasts to the skillet, spooning the sauce over them. Simmer for 1–2 minutes more to warm the chicken through and meld the flavors.
- Serve the chicken with the artichoke–tomato sauce spooned over the top and sprinkle with the remaining (green) parts of the sliced scallions.
