Instant Pot Chicken with Eggplant, Pomegranate and Cumin Pearl Couscous

Name: Instant Pot Chicken with Eggplant, Pomegranate and Cumin Pearl Couscous
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Fusión mediterránea
Ingredients: 1.5 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs; 12 oz eggplant; 1 1/4 cups red onion; 4 cloves garlic; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp sweet paprika; 1 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses; 1 cup chicken broth; 1 cup pearl couscous; 1 cup water; 1 tbsp butter; 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds; 1/4 cup fresh parsley; 2 tbsp fresh mint; 1 tsp lemon zest

An original Instant Pot dish featuring tender chicken thighs cooked with eggplant, red onion, cinnamon, and a touch of pomegranate molasses, served over cumin-scented pearl couscous and finished with fresh herbs. It has a gentle sweet-savory balance.

20 minPrep

25 minCook

45 minTotal

4Servings

High Protein

Ingredients

Adjust servings

700 g boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut en trozos large)
350 g eggplant (diced of 2 cm)
180 g red onion (en pluma fina)
12 g garlic (chopped)
30 ml olive oil
4 g ground cumin
1 g ground cinnamon
2 g sweet paprika
6 g salt (or to taste)
1 g black pepper
30 ml pomegranate molasses
240 ml chicken broth
180 g pearl couscous
240 ml water (for the cuscús)
14 g butter
80 g pomegranate seeds
10 g fresh parsley (chopped)
5 g fresh mint (chopped)
2 g lemon zest

Nutrition facts

per serving

545 kcal

Calories

34 g

Protein

35 g

Carbs

28 g

Fat

5 g

Fiber

30 g

Net carbs

Approximate nutritional information. Estimated from the recipe’s ingredients and amounts, using standard reference nutrition values. It may vary with brands, sizes and cooking method. For guidance only; not a substitute for medical or dietary advice.

Allergens

GlutenDairy

Instructions

1
Season the chicken with 3 g (1/2 tsp) of the salt, black pepper, sweet paprika, and half of the ground cumin.
2
Turn the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. When the pot is hot, add the olive oil and brown the chicken for 4-5 minutes, stirring to sear it on all sides. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
3
Add the red onion and eggplant to the pot. Cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until they begin to soften. Stir in the garlic, remaining ground cumin, and ground cinnamon, and cook 30 seconds more.
4
Pour in the chicken broth and pomegranate molasses. Scrape the bottom of the pot well with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits. Return the chicken to the pot along with any accumulated juices.
5
Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. When finished, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then quick-release the remaining pressure.
6
While the chicken cooks, make the pearl couscous. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, butter, and remaining 3 g (1/2 tsp) salt to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, add the pearl couscous, lower the heat, cover, and cook for 8-10 minutes until tender and the liquid is absorbed.
7
Turn off the heat for the couscous and stir in the lemon zest, fresh parsley, and fresh mint.
8
Open the Instant Pot and gently stir the chicken with the eggplant and sauce. If you want the sauce slightly thicker, switch to Sauté mode and cook for 2 additional minutes, stirring.
9
Serve the chicken and eggplant over the cumin pearl couscous and finish with the pomegranate seeds on top.
10
If you prefer to keep the dish warm before serving, use the Instant Pot Keep Warm function or hold it at 140°F (60°C) for up to 20 minutes.

Chef tips

To keep the eggplant from falling apart, cut it into large cubes. Pomegranate molasses adds strong acidity; if your brand is very concentrated, start with 1 1/2 tablespoons and adjust at the end. Scrape the bottom well before pressure cooking to avoid a burn warning.

Substitutions

You can substitute the chicken thighs with cubed chicken breast, reducing pressure time to 6 minutes. Butter can be replaced with olive oil. If you do not have mint, use only parsley. Pearl couscous can be replaced with cooked white rice, though the texture and total time will change.

What I used to make it

Generic kitchen tools that work for this recipe. You don’t need to buy anything to make it.

Illustrative image
TempPro TP19H Digital Thermometer
Checking doneness of meat and chicken
- Checks doneness of meat and chicken
- Quick reading
- Clean the probe after each use
View on Amazon
Illustrative image
T-fal Ultimate Hard Anodized 12" Non-Stick Pan
Eggs, omelets and stir-fries
- Eggs and omelets that don’t stick
- Comfortable, sturdy handle
- Use wooden or silicone utensils
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Illustrative image
Victorinox Fibrox Pro 8" Chef’s Knife
Chopping, slicing and cutting strips
- The knife I use most when cooking
- Chops, slices and cuts into strips
- Keep it sharp and hand-dry it
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