0 from 3 votes
Freekeh with Chicken
Freekeh with chicken is a traditional recipe that is popular throughout the Middle East and particularly in Kuwait.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 8 people
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Middle Eastern
Ingredients
- 8 chicken legs (whole)
- 24 oz. freekeh
- 3 yellow onions , quartered
- 3 Red Onions , chopped
- 4 cubes chicken stock
- 4 sticks cinnamon
- 10 pods cardamom
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
- 1½ cup slivered almonds
- 1 cup pine nuts
- vegetable oil
- salt
- pepper
Equipment
- Dutch oven
Instructions
- Spread the freekeh flat on a white surface and remove any small pebbles or impurities.
- Rinse in cold water in a very fine sieve, then let it soak by covering with water while preparing the chicken.
- Cook the chicken legs in 5 quarts (5 liters) of salted boiling water with the chicken stock cubes, yellow onions, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and bay leaves for about 1 hour to cover.
- Remove the chicken pieces and reserve the broth.
- Remove the chicken skin and bone it. Shred all the chicken pieces and set aside.
- Filter the broth.
- Drain and dry the freekeh with a cloth.
- In a large Dutch oven, sauté the chopped red onions in 6 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Add the freekeh and mix for 5 minutes over medium to low heat.
- Add the cinnamon and cardamom powder, salt, pepper, and mix well for 2 to 3 minutes so that the freekeh gets coated with the spices.
- Pour the filtered chicken broth so that the liquid level is about ½ inch (1 cm) above the freekeh level. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer covered for about 25 minutes.
- In a skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of oil and toast the pine nuts and slivered almonds very quickly until golden brown, constantly watching and stirring.
- Serve the freekeh topped with shredded chicken and sprinkled with almonds and pine nuts.
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