This is one of my favorite “5-Minute Meals” as it seems like a real meal, not something you’ve just thrown together so that there’s something on the table.

Couscous Chicken
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup instant couscous
- 1 cup water (use liquid from chicken and make up rest with water)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (, including liquid OR 2 large tomatoes, diced)
- 1 (5-ounce) can chicken, drained and liquid reserved
- 1/2 teaspoon tarragon (use oregano or Italian spices if you don’t have tarragon)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (or chicken bouillon powder)
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Bring water to boil, add dash of salt and couscous. Cover and turn off heat – couscous will cook itself in 5 minutes. Stir occasionally and check to see if more water is needed.
- At the same time, place tomatoes in small pan and heat to boiling. Add tarragon, chicken, salt and pepper, stirring very gently so as not to break up the chunks of chicken. Turn off heat, cover and let stand 2 – 3 minutes to heat chicken through.
- To serve, place the couscous in bowls and put the chicken mixture over the top.
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Carolyn Shearlock has lived aboard full-time for 17 years, splitting her time between a Tayana 37 monohull and a Gemini 105 catamaran. She’s cruised over 14,000 miles, from Pacific Mexico and Central America to Florida and the Bahamas, gaining firsthand experience with the joys and challenges of life on the water.
Through The Boat Galley, Carolyn has helped thousands of people explore, prepare for, and enjoy life afloat. She shares her expertise as an instructor at Cruisers University, in leading boating publications, and through her bestselling book, The Boat Galley Cookbook. She is passionate about helping others embark on their liveaboard journey—making life on the water simpler, safer, and more enjoyable.
Andrea on Facebook says
The problem with this and alot of cruising recipes is that the sodium levels are off the charts….
Jan on Facebook says
Yes, but you can control sodium levels by not using pre- packaged CousCous … find the real thing (trader joe’s) and adjust the recipe accordingly. I’m still trying to adjust to life without salt … but everyone assures me that taste will return to my taste buds sometime … it’s been 2 months now, can I plz have my taste buds back????? 🙂
Mary Dixon says
Looks like a great recipe for the boat. Will definitely try it.
on Facebook says
@Andrea — the plain couscous shown in the photo has 5 mg sodium, the canned chicken that I use has 200 mg, and with no added salt tomatoes having 50 mg, don’t add additional salt . . . that’s 255 mg or about 11% of the 2400 recommended max per day. BTW, you don’t have to go to Trader Joe’s to get plain couscous — every Walmart has the package above very near where rice is stocked. Just get the plain, as opposed to the flavored.
on Facebook says
@Jan — use other spices and also note that bouillon powder has one-third the sodium of straight salt — just a dash can really make a difference yet still keep the sodium far lower!
Candy Ann Williams on Facebook says
That sounds good….I have never made couscous and I really like it….it’s just something I don’t think about fixing.
The Boat Galley on Facebook says
It’s super easy and I love it in summer when it’s hot — almost no cook time!
Candy Ann Williams on Facebook says
‘Gonna’ try some!!
Donna Tourt Cantwell on Facebook says
This is a must-have / go-to in my galley!
Elizabeth Aristeguieta says
Are you kidding?! I love couscous! Plus you can doctor it up and make it gourmet. I love it with raisins and pine nuts and I use chicken stock instead of water, yummy!
Diane Dashevsky says
My favorite “go to” meal on the boat… 🙂