Serves 2

Chicken breasts for you and your sweetie are elegant here, served on a bed of pearled couscous. Sprinkle them with aromatic spices and cook with dates and green olives to give them flavors of the Middle East. You never brown the chicken on the stovetop, so it skips that messy step; in the oven the meat turns golden and the skin crisps.

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 bone-in split chicken breasts

1 large navel orange

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 shallot, chopped

1 cup halved, pitted dates

½ cup pitted green olives, halved

1 cup chicken stock

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

6 cups water

2 cups pearled couscous

Olive oil (for sprinkling)

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Set the oven at 425 degrees.

2. In a small bowl, stir the cumin, cinnamon, and cayenne to blend them. Sprinkle the spice mixture and salt on all sides of the chicken breasts.

3. Grate the orange rind; set aside. With a small paring knife, remove the white pith from the orange and cut the flesh into segments.

4. In a heavy-based flameproof casserole over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the shallot and cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Stir in the dates, olives, chicken stock, vinegar, and orange segments. Set the breasts on top, skin side up. Bring the liquid to a boil, cover the pan. and transfer to the oven.

5. Cook the chicken for 20 minutes. Remove the lid from the chicken and continue cooking for 20 to 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breasts registers 165 degrees. (Total cooking time is 40 to 50 minutes.)

6. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring the water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Add the couscous and let the water return to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender. Drain but do not rinse. In a bowl, toss the couscous with olive oil, salt, pepper, and half the parsley.

7. Spoon the couscous onto a platter. Place the chicken on top. Stir the orange rind into the chicken cooking juices and spoon them on the breasts. Sprinkle with the remaining parsley. Karoline Boehm Goodnick

Karoline Boehm Goodnick can be reached at kboehmgoodnick@gmail.com.