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Freekeh bil djaj
Chicken with smoked green wheat
Freekeh bil djaj: spiced chicken over smoky green wheat with toasted almonds
SyrianFreekeh — young green wheat harvested and roasted over fire in the fields of Hauran and the Syrian countryside — has a smoky, nutty taste that makes this dish special. Chicken is poached with whole spices, and its broth is used to cook the freekeh into a fluffy pilaf, then everything is topped with the browned chicken and toasted almonds. It is a dish for Sunday gatherings and Eid, served with yoghurt and cucumber. Common mistake: not picking over the freekeh; it often has tiny stones and husks, so spread it on a tray and check. Chef's tip: brown the poached chicken in butter or under the grill before serving for colour and crisp skin.
- Total time
- 95 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 4 chicken legsabout 1.2 kg
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 1 onionhalved
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 oz butter
For the freekeh
- 10 ½ oz cracked freekehpicked over and rinsed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onionchopped
- 1 ½ tsp seven-spice (baharat)
To finish
- 1 ⅜ oz flaked almondstoasted
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 4 chicken legs, 6 ¼ cups water, 1 onion, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cardamom pods and 1 ½ tsp salt in a pot. Bring to the boil, skim, then simmer for 35–40 minutes until the meat is tender and reads 165°F next to the bone. Lift out the chicken and strain the broth.
40 minStep 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy pan over a medium heat and soften 1 onion for 6 minutes. Add 10 ½ oz cracked freekeh and 1 ½ tsp seven-spice (baharat) and stir for 2 minutes until it smells toasty.
8 minStep 3: Pour in 750 ml of hot broth, bring to the boil, cover and cook on a low heat for 20–25 minutes until the freekeh is tender with a slight chew and the broth absorbed. Rest 10 minutes.
30 minStep 4: Meanwhile, melt 1 oz butter in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and brown the chicken pieces for 3–4 minutes a side until golden.
8 minStep 5: Spoon the freekeh onto a platter, set the chicken on top and scatter with 1 ⅜ oz flaked almonds. Serve with yoghurt and the rest of the broth in cups.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 680 kcal
- Protein
- 46 g
- Carbs
- 58 g
- Fat
- 29 g
- Fibre
- 11 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does freekeh bil djaj take?
- About 95 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
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