African Chicken Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

Tunisian Sauce (Tunisian pesto sauce makes 1 C)
2 cups packed fresh cilantro (leaves and a few stems)
1 cup packed fresh parsley (leaves and a few stems)
1/4 cup almonds
1 -2 garlic clove
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Stew
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup uncooked couscous
4 teaspoons kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 chicken thighs, boneless and skinless, quartered (about 1 1/4 lbs)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika, preferably smoked
2 carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 small red onion, halved and sliced
1 2/3 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 lemon, zest of, grated
1/3 cup tunisian pesto sauce (you can reserve the rest by freezing)

Preparation

Tunisian Pesto:
Combine the cilantro, parsley, almonds and garlic in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add about 1/3 cup of the oil and process until completely mixed in and smooth. Add the salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper (if using). *If using immediately, add the remaining oil and pulse until smooth. If freezing, transfer the pesto to an airtight container and pour the remaining oil on top. You can freeze this for 3 months.
Stew:
Bring the 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth to boil in a saucepan over high heat. Stir in the couscous, 1 t. of the salt, and pepper to taste. Cover, take off the heat and set aside while you make the stew.
Heat the oil and butter in a large dutch oven (or big soup pot) over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with the remaining salt, cumin, paprika and pepper to taste. Add the chicken to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over - about 5 minutes.
Add the carrots, onion, the 1 2/3 Cups chicken broth, vinegar and lemon zest and bring to a boil. Adjust the heat to maintain a brisk simmer, cover and cook just until the chicken is firm to the touch and the carrots are tender - about 8 minutes or so.
Stir the pesto into the stew. Fluff the couscous with a fork and mound it in 4 soup bowls. Spoon some chicken stew over each portion and serve!