Happy Friday! After a week off, we are back with our 30-minute budget meal series!

For anyone who is new here (hi!), every Friday, I put out a recipe that’s budget-friendly and takes 30-minutes or less to make. You can access the entire archive of past 30-minute budget meals here!

This week’s recipe is inspired by one of my favorite roast chicken recipes by Alison Roman. Her One-Pot Chicken with Caramelized Lemons and Dates is a dish I turn to time and time again. The flavors of this one-pan couscous are inspired by that recipe, except this one is actually fully plant-based! I included lemons, dates, and shallots, which cook with the couscous and chickpeas in one pan, and the flavors are just incredible. It’s somehow creamy, sweet, and savory all at once!

I know Medjool dates aren’t always the most affordable depending on where you shop, but here are my suggestions to keep costs down:

Hopefully this helps keep your costs down, and the rest of the ingredients should be easy on your wallet. This is why I love cooking with grains and legumes because they’re so budget-friendly. You can also use white rice or orzo as a substitute for the pearled couscous. You may need to cook a smidge longer using rice, so just keep that in mind!