Freekeh with chicken is a very traditional Middle Eastern dish made with a smoky ancient grain called "freekeh", "farik" or "frikeh". In this Lebanese freekeh recipe, green durum wheat grains are soaked, seasoned and cooked, then topped with delicious juicy braised chicken and sautéed nuts.
If you are looking for a different way to make chicken, or a different side dish to substitute for rice, you came to the right recipe. I am always up for an adventure in eating, and this recipe for chicken freekeh will get you just that!
Jump to:
Never had Freekeh grain before?
This recipe and post will give you the download for everything you need to know about cooking with freekeh and what is freekeh!
Origins
So, where is Freekeh from and what is it? Freekeh (pronounced just how it is spelled or "freak-uh") is an ancient grain made of green durum wheat that originated in the Middle East. Freekeh is considered an ancient superfood and is a very healthy wholegrain packed with protein and fiber.
Green wheat freekeh are baby wheat berries that are harvested early. Before it is packaged, it is rubbed to removed any chaff from the outside, and fire roasted which gives it a unique smoky flavor.
There really are two types of freekeh: whole grain freekeh and cracked freekeh. Let's compare those 2 kinds.
Wholegrain vs Cracked freekeh:
- Wholegrain Freekeh: This kind of freekeh wheat is made from fire roasted baby green wheat that is left whole and intact. It requires a longer cooking time and also soaking.
- Cracked freekeh: is also made from baby green durum wheat that is roasted, but is cracked and broken into smaller, more tender pieces. It does cook faster, but does not retain the chewier texture of the freekeh in whole grain form. When it is cracked, it is basically bulgur wheat.
If you search for recipes with freekeh, you will find that the cooking time for freekeh varies incredibly from recipe to recipe. The difference in cooking time lies within which form of freekeh is used.
What does freekeh taste like? Cooked freekeh has a very unique flavor and texture. It is smoky, nutty and even slightly fruity all at the same time. The texture, especially of the whole grain, is similar to an al dente pasta that is slightly even a little bit chewier.
🥘 Ingredients
The ingredients for this freekeh with chicken recipe are:
- wholegrain freekeh (aka greenwheat freekeh)
- whole chicken or chicken pieces for roasting (I used chicken leg quarters)
- slivered almonds and cashew pieces
- chicken stock
- onion
- extra virgin olive oil
- butter
- salt
- ground black pepper
- cinnamon (or Lebanese 7 spices)
- minced garlic
- dried mint
- lemon juice
In this Lebanese freekeh recipe, I use wholegrain freekeh as opposed to cracked. The texture of the grain in this freekeh chicken recipe is plump and chewy. With the addition of the toasted almond slices and cashews, it becomes a delicious freekeh pilaf!
🔪 Instructions
When it comes to how to prepare freekeh, we will begin by soaking it. Soaked freekeh will cook more evenly, and it will get rid of anything unwanted on the outside freekeh grain itself. In this recipe for freekeh, it does need to be soaked for 30-45 minutes, so make sure to allow the time to do that.
While the freekeh is soaking, prepare your chicken and preheat the oven to 400 ℉. Lightly coat the chicken in olive oil, evenly sprinkle the spices on top and braise the chicken in the oven for about 35-40 minutes, or until it is cooked through.
The chicken recipe is very similar to another one of my recipes called Mediterranean Grilled Chicken. And let me tell you, it is good! My kids LOVE it!
While the chicken is cooking and after the freekeh has soaked, give it another rinse in water, then drain it thoroughly.
How to cook freekeh:
Chop the onions. Heat several tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook them until they just begin to brown and caramelize. Add the freekeh and cook it with the onions for a few minutes.
Now, add the chicken stock, water and spices to the pot. Turn the burner to medium heat, cover and let the freekeh simmer, stirring it occasionally.
The grains will eventually absorb the liquid and it will become plump yet still slightly chewy. It will take at least 45 minutes to cook, maybe even a few minutes longer.
If you think it is running out of liquid, or that it needs more, add a little bit at a time.
If you see other recipes for freekeh that call for a much shorter cooking time, they are most likely using cracked freekeh.
Now it's time for a super delish part of this recipe, the sautéed nuts! In the typical Lebanese freekeh dish, the nut of choice is usually almonds. I love almonds and I use those in this dish also, but I also use cashews.
In a small saucepan, heat the butter and a little bit of olive oil together in the pan until hot. Add the slivered almonds and cashew pieces and sauté them together stirring constantly. Once they begin to brown and toast up on all sides, remove the nuts from the heat and sprinkle them with salt.
You could even add some pine nuts as well, yum!
When the chicken and the freekeh are done cooking, I like to put the cooked freekeh on a large platter and place the braised chicken on top. Add the toasted nuts over the top, and if you so desire, squeeze a lemon over it all. Serve and enjoy!
🥗 Serving suggestions
Most Lebanese dishes go really well with some sort of yogurt, whether its plain yogurt or this mint yogurt sauce. This dish would also go really great with homemade pita bread and some sort of Lebanese salad like Tabbouleh or Fattoush.
Substitutions
In general, cracked freekeh is considered a substituted for bulgur. So if you are looking for a substitute for freekeh, I would recommend course bulgur, couscous, barley or if you want it to be gluten free, use quinoa. Any of those grains would be a good freekeh substitute.
FAQ's
Is freekeh healthier than rice?
In general, freekeh is healthier than rice. Though it is a carb, it is a whole grain which is considered a slow carb and is more heart healthy than bleached and treated grains. It is also packed with protein and fiber!
Is it gluten free?
No, freekeh is not gluten free at all, since it is wheat. If you are looking for a gluten free substitute for freekeh, I would suggest quinoa. You can check out this link how to cook quinoa in a rice cooker.
Check out these other popular recipes from A Pinch of Adventure!
- Lebanese Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Arayes Kafta (grilled meat stuffed pitas)
- Homemade Pita Bread
- Lebanese Chicken Shawarma
- Lemon Berry Mascarpone Cake
- Lebanese Chicken and Rice
🍽 Equipment
Where to buy Freekeh:
Freekeh can be found at your local Mediterranean store. If you don't have an ethnic store that sells freekeh green wheat, you can also purchase it on Amazon.
Like this recipe?
Don’t forget to rate it below and follow me on Instagram!
📖 Recipe
Freekeh Recipe with Chicken
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 4 lbs chicken leg quarters or chicken legs and chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 tablespoon dried mint leaf
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
For the Freekeh
- 2 cups freekeh whole grain
- ½ yellow onion diced
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 3 cups water
- 2+1 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup slivered almonds or a mix of cashew and almond pieces
- 1 lemon optional
Instructions
For the Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F
- Coat the chicken in olive oil and sprinkle the spices all over it
- Bake uncovered in a pan for 45 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. *If the skin begins to get too dark before the chicken is cooked through, you may need to cover it with foil
For the freekeh
- Before preparing the chicken, soak the freekeh in water in a large mixing bowl for 30-45 minutes. After it's done soaking, rinse again and drain
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter plus 1 tablespoon of olive oil together over medium heat
- Add the diced onions and sauté until the onions just begin to caramelize
- Add the soaked and drained freekeh and stir it all together over medium heat for 2 minutes
- Add the chicken broth and water and all of the spices
- Cover and cook on low-medium heat for 45 minutes (may take longer), or until all of the liquid is absorbed
- In a small saucepan, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and sauté the slivered almonds, or the almond and cashew mixture, stirring constantly, until the nuts are toasted and golden brown (about 5 minutes)
- Remove from heat and lightly salt the nuts
- Once all of the elements of the meal are done, on a large serving platter or dish, layer the prepared freekeh on the bottom, add the braised chicken and scatter the nuts over the top of the whole dish
- Squeeze the juice of one lemon over the top (optional) and serve
Selah
This recipe was spot on! I used the 7 spices instead of cinnamon. What a great recipe, thanks!
Emily Ackerman
Glad you enjoyed!