Freekeh bil Djaj — Print Recipe

A nutritious Jordanian dish of roasted green wheat (freekeh) cooked with tender chicken, onions, and warm spices, offering a nutty, smoky flavor unlike any other grain.

Ingredients

2 cups freekeh (smoked green wheat), rinsed
1 whole chicken, quartered
2 onions, diced
4 cups chicken broth
2 tbsp ghee
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
Toasted almonds for garnish
Fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

1 Brown the chicken quarters in ghee in a large pot until golden on all sides, then remove and saute the diced onions until soft and translucent.
2 Add the rinsed freekeh to the pot with the onions and toast for 2 minutes, then add allspice, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
3 Return the chicken to the pot, pour in the broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer covered for about 45 minutes until the freekeh is tender and the chicken is cooked through.
4 Arrange the freekeh on a serving platter with the chicken on top, garnish with toasted almonds and fresh parsley, and serve with a side of plain yogurt.

Did You Know?

Freekeh has been cultivated in the Levant for over 4,000 years and is made by harvesting wheat while still young and green, then setting the fields on fire to burn off the chaff while the moist green grains survive.