Save Money & Eat In Tonight: Chicken in Saffron Sauce with Couscous and Carrots

1 Cup Couscous
4 Chicken Breasts
1/2 Cup White Cooking Wine
1 Cup Chicken Stock, plus more
3 Garlic Cloves, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp Ginger, skinned and finely chopped
1 tsp Vanilla Extract or Paste
1 tsp Sweet Basil, plus more
1/2 tsp Saffron Threads*
3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Bunch Carrots, sliced into 1/4" diagonal slices
Butter
Salt and Pepper

Bring one cup water (or chicken stock for more flavor) with a pat of butter to a boil.  Once boiling, add couscous, stir, cover and remove from heat and allow to sit for at least 5 minutes.

In a large flat-bottomed fry pan, bring chicken stock and white wine to a boil.  Once boiling, place chicken breasts into pan and cover.  Cook chicken for 5 minutes on each side.  Remove chicken from fry pan and put aside.  Add garlic, ginger, vanilla and basil to fry pan.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for three minutes.  Add heavy cream, saffron threads, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp white pepper (black pepper can be used if white pepper is not available).  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and place chicken back in pan.  Simmer for 3-5 minutes ladling sauce onto chicken.

Meanwhile, heat a medium sized fry pan.  Add three tablespoons butter and melt.  Once melted add carrots and saute with a pinch of salt and pepper for 4 minutes or until carrots are cooked, but still crunchy.  Add extra chopped basil to couscous and fluff with a fork to serve.

*Saffron threads can be found at most grocery stores.  Check Dual Specialty Store in the East Village or Asia Market Corp in Chinatown for any hard to find spices.