AN ISRAELI restaurant in New Orleans? “I knew it was a risk,” said Alon Shaya of his namesake place on Magazine Street. “The key to introducing people to new cuisines is to make it really familiar and comforting.”  It’s hard to imagine a safer bet than this recipe, Mr. Shaya’s third Slow Food Fast lemony pan-fried chicken, buttery couscous, sautéed zucchini and fresh mint. Mr. Shaya emphasized that it’s essential to spend time crisping the chicken’s skin so it really crackles. A scattering of lemon zest helps cut through the meat’s richness.  Since Shaya opened earlier this year, New Orleanians have been queuing out the door. The appeal, Mr. Shaya insisted, derives from the deep roots of this cuisine: “It’s food people have been cooking in homes for years and years.”  Total Time: 35 minutes Serves: 4  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season generously with salt.  2. Set a large, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in 3 tablespoons olive oil and, once hot, lay in chicken, skin-side down. Reduce heat to medium and cook, undisturbed, until skin is golden and crisp, about 7 minutes. Flip chicken and brown other side, about 5 minutes more. Grate zest of 1 lemon over chicken and transfer pan to oven. Roast chicken until just cooked through, about 15 minutes.  3. Meanwhile, pour 1¾ cups water into a medium pot and add a generous pinch of salt. Set pot over high heat and bring water to a boil. Pour in couscous, stir, and bring water back to a boil. Cover pot, add butter and remove from heat. Let couscous stand until grains are just tender, about 2 minutes. Uncover and toss with a fork until grains are loose and fluffy. Season to taste with salt.  4. Add remaining oil and garlic cloves to a medium sauté pan. Set pan over medium heat and gently fry garlic until golden on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Remove cloves, leaving oil in pan, and set garlic aside.  5. Raise heat under pan to medium-high. Once hot, add diced zucchini and cook until tender and browned all over, 6 minutes total.  6. While zucchini cooks, finely chop fried garlic cloves. Juice and zest remaining lemon. Add minced garlic and lemon juice to pan. Sauté zucchini 30 seconds more and season with salt. Remove pan from heat and stir in mint.  7. To serve, mound couscous onto a platter and top with chicken pieces. Garnish with reserved lemon zest and scatter zucchini around platter.
From New Orleans chef Alon Shaya comes this recipe for comforting pan-fried chicken brightened with lemon zest and bolstered with minty sautéed zucchini.