Description
This spiced chicken freekeh recipe with peas and nuts is a family favorite. It's packed with flavor and warm, hearty spices.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 lbs (1kg) bone-in chicken breasts and legs
- 1 and 1/2 cups dry freekeh
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 4 tbsp ghee
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1/3 cup raw nuts
Freekeh Spices
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1 and 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 and 1/2 tsp seven spices
- 1 tsp dried coriander
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp sea salt +more to taste
Chicken Spices
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 tsp whole caraway
- 5-6 cardamom pods
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot, and add the chicken. Sear for about a minute on each side, then add the chicken spices, onion (cut in quarters), and at least 6 cups (about 1.5 liters) of hot water. Cover and boil for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Once the chicken is fully cooked, start on the freekeh. Melt 2 tbsp of ghee in a medium-sized nonstick pot on medium heat, and add the washed freekeh along with the freekeh spices. Fry while stirring continuously for 5-6 minutes or until the freekeh gets an even color.
- Pour around 3 cups of the broth the chicken was cooking in on to the freekeh, or enough broth to cover it. Cover and let boil for 30-35 minutes or until tender.
- Once the freekeh is cooked, take the pot off the stove, add in the frozen peas, cover, and let steam for 10 minutes.
- Fluff freekeh with a fork and transfer to your serving dish. Shred the chicken and add on top.
- Fry the nuts in another 2 tbsp of ghee until they're golden brown (stirring continuously), then pour on top of the freekeh.
Equipment
Notes
- Save any remaining broth for soups, curries, stews, rice, etc.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Syrian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/5 of Recipe
- Calories: 519 calories
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 530 mg
- Fat: 34 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 35 g
- Cholesterol: 12 mg
Keywords: freekeh, freekeh recipe, chicken freekeh, chicken with peas, freekeh with peas, Syrian food, freekeh with nuts, chicken, chicken broth, ghee, fried nuts, pine nuts, Syrian lunch, Syrian recipes, family recipes