This smoky, zingy creation is packed with big flavours
Diana Henry The Telegraph's award-winning cookery writer
Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.
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Smoky griddled thighs with one of the sturdiest grains – freekeh can really stand up to big flavours like harissa. The freekeh can be made and dressed ahead of time, just hold back the coriander until you want to serve it. The chicken can be hot or warm. Belazu do jars of apricot harissa.
1 hour marinating time required
Overview
Prep time
15 mins
Cook time
30 mins
Serves
4
Ingredients
- 200g freekeh
- 225g carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 2 preserved lemons, rind only, cut into shreds
- 10g shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
- 4 tsp honey
- 10g fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
For the chickpeas
- 1 x 400g tin chickpeas, drained, rinsed and gently dried
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- Good squeeze of lemon
For the chicken
- 8 chicken thigh fillets
- 2 tbsp apricot harissa
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 clove garlic, grated to a purée
Method
Step
Heat the oven to 210C/200C fan/gas mark 7. Bash 8 chicken thighs fillets by putting them between 2 sheets of greaseproof and hitting them with a rolling pin. Don’t bash them so hard that they start to break up. This makes cooking them easier as they’ll be of an even thickness.
Step
Put the thighs in a bowl with 2 tbsp apricot harissa, 2 tbsp olive oil, the juice of ½ lemon and 1 grated garlic clove. Cover and put in the fridge for an hour (you can leave them for longer if you want).
Step
Wash and rinse 200g freekeh and put it into a saucepan. Cover with water, bring to the boil and cook for 25 minutes or until it’s tender (it doesn’t go completely soft). Drain in a sieve, running hot water through it. Shake the sieve to get rid of moisture and put into a shallow serving bowl.
Step
Toss 1 x 400g tin chickpeas (drained, rinsed and lightly dried) in a bowl with 1 tbsp oil, 1½ tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp turmeric and ½ tsp cayenne. Season with salt and pepper. Spread this out in a baking tin and cook in the oven for 15 minutes.
Step
Combine the freekeh, 225g carrots (peeled and cut into matchsticks), 2 shredded preserved lemons and 10g roughly chopped shelled pistachios in the bowl.
Step
Toast 1 tsp caraway seeds and 2 tsp coriander seeds in a dry frying pan until you can smell them.
Step
Bash them in a mortar pestle to break up the coriander seeds. Put these into a bowl or cup and add 5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, the juice of 1 lemon, 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar, some salt, pepper and 4 tsp honey (adding to taste). Pour this into the freekeh.
Step
Heat a frying pan until very hot. Lift the chicken out of its marinade and cook the thighs on each side until golden brown. Start cooking on a high heat to get a good colour, then turn the heat down. It will take about 4 minutes on one side and 3 on the other. Check for doneness.
Step
Mix 10g chopped fresh coriander into the freekeh and put the chicken on top. If you’re serving it warm, pour over the cooking juices.