Slow Cooker Spiced Turkey Breast and Couscous

Drescription

This healthy slow-cooker dinner is packed with flavor thanks to sweet apricots, tangy orange juice and a warm blend of spices that infuse the turkey breast and hearty vegetables with vibrant yet comforting flavor. The couscous stirred in at the end soaks up all the delicious juices and gets studded with tender carrots, butternut squash and onions. Enjoy it as a satisfying weeknight meal or cozy weekend dinner.

Ingredients

• 1 whole bone-in turkey breast (about 5 pounds)
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups butternut squash chunks (1 inch)
• 1/3 cup dried apricots (about 2 ounces), coarsely chopped
• 3 medium carrots (about 8 ounces), halved lengthwise, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 large strips orange peel (removed with a vegetable peeler) plus 6 tablespoons orange juice
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 medium onion, thickly sliced
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 cups couscous
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

1. Remove the skin from the turkey and trim away any excess fat. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut out the backbone, leaving the turkey on the breast bones (this will help it fit in the slow cooker). Combine the coriander, cumin, paprika, ginger, 1 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the breast meat.
2. Scatter the squash, apricots, carrots, orange peel, bay leaves, cinnamon stick and onion in the bottom of an 8-quart slow cooker. Pour in the broth and 1/4 cup of the orange juice. Stir in 1 1/4 teaspoons salt. Set the turkey breast-side up on top of the vegetables and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Cover and cook on low until the turkey reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, about 5 hours. Remove the turkey to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes.
3. Increase the slow cooker to high and cover just until the liquid is gently simmering again, about 2 minutes. Stir in the couscous, turn off the slow cooker, cover and let sit for 7 minutes. Uncover, fluff the couscous with a fork and stir in the cilantro. Discard the bay leaves and cinnamon stick and transfer the couscous to a serving bowl.
4. Cut the turkey breast from the bone and slice against the grain into thick slices. Whisk the remaining 2 tablespoons orange juice, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Arrange the sliced turkey on a platter and drizzle over the sauce. Serve immediately.