Lebanese Chicken Stew - recipe below - this is my version of Moghrabieh, a celebratory dish of spiced chicken cooked with little pasta pearls also called Moghrabieh. It's so delicious, super comforting and packed with flavour. It's also great to feed a crowd, with a green salad. Enjoy x JGS
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Serves 4-6
2 tbsp olive oil
1 kg chicken thighs, skin and bone on
6 baby shallots, peeled
8 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp ground caraway, plus a pinch for serving
2 tsp ground cumin
2 Lebanese 7 spice or baharat
4 inch stick cinnamon
500ml chicken stock
350g moghrabieh
140g drained chickpeas
The juice of ½ a lemon
A small handful of finely chopped coriander leaves
The zest of a lemon
Sea salt
1. Heat the oil in a large casserole over a medium heat. Put the chicken into the pan skin side down and add the shallots. Cook for 8-10 minutes, browning the chicken skin, and turning the shallots every few minutes until golden. Turn the chicken and add the garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes to get some colour on the garlic. Add the caraway, cumin, 7 spice and the cinnamon. Pour over the stock and bring to the boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and cook for 40-45 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
2. Meanwhile, parboil the moghrabieh for 15 minutes in a pan of boiling water and then drain. Tip into the pan with the cooked chicken. Add the chickpeas and shake to settle everything into the sauce. Cover and cook for 15 minutes until tender. Remove the lid and turn the heat up a little. Cook, shaking the pan occasionally, for 10-12 minutes until the sauce is lovely and thick
3. Squeeze the lemon into the pan and mix well. Check the seasoning and add salt to taste. Serve immediately with the coriander and lemon zest as a garnish.
