Moghrabieh (Lebanese stew with couscous and chicken)

Moghrabieh (Lebanese stew with couscous and chicken)

“Moghrabieh is a traditional Lebanese stew using couscous with large grains, made of wheat semolina. It’s cooked in stock with chickpeas and onions and served with chicken. For a vegetarian option, leave out the chicken and use whatever root veg you have handy, along with vegetable stock,” says food writer Angela Zaher

Moghrabieh (Lebanese stew with couscous and chicken)

Take a look at Angela’s moujadara recipe (Lebanese rice and lentils), too…

  • Serves icon Serves 4
  • Time icon Hands-on time 40 min. Simmering time 40 min

“Moghrabieh is a traditional Lebanese stew using couscous with large grains, made of wheat semolina. It’s cooked in stock with chickpeas and onions and served with chicken. For a vegetarian option, leave out the chicken and use whatever root veg you have handy, along with vegetable stock,” says food writer Angela Zaher

Take a look at Angela’s moujadara recipe (Lebanese rice and lentils), too…

Nutrition: Per serving

Calories
731kcals
Fat
21g (5.9g saturated)
Protein
62g
Carbohydrates
68g (9.5g sugars)
Fibre
9.4g
Salt
1.7g

Ingredients

  • 1kg chicken thighs, skin on and bone in
  • ½ lemon
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 450g moghrabieh (see Know-how)
  • 400g tin chickpeas
  • 450g frozen peeled small white onions
  • ½ tsp ground caraway
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp baharat (available in most supermarkets)
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • Dash pomegranate molasses
  • Pomegranate seeds to scatter
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Method

  1. Put the chicken thighs in a deep saucepan and cover with about 2.5 litres water. Add the lemon, bay, cloves, cinnamon stick, star anise and salt. Cover and bring to the boil, then turn to a gentle simmer and cook for 40 minutes (still covered) until the chicken is cooked through.
  2. Put a fine sieve over a large bowl and tip the contents of the pan into it. Reserve the stock – you want around 2 litres. Once the chicken meat is cool enough to handle, tear it into pieces (discard the skin and bone) and set aside.
  3. In the same saucepan, add the moghrabieh, chickpeas (and the liquid from the tin), frozen onions, spices and a pinch of salt. Pour in half the reserved
    chicken stock, stir and put over a medium heat. Cook uncovered for 20-25 minutes – keep an eye on it and give it the occasional stir, adding more stock or water if needed as the moghrabieh absorbs the liquid. The grains are cooked when they feel soft.
  4. Meanwhile, in a separate saucepan, add the remaining stock and vigorously simmer until reduced by about a third. Mix the cornflour with a little cold water, then add to the stock and stir until it thickens. Add a drizzle of pomegranate molasses.
  5. To serve, pile up the moghrabieh in a large serving bowl or individual bowls, then arrange the chicken on top (it can be reheated in the thickened stock or microwave, if needed). Drizzle the thickened, sweetened stock all over, then scatter with pomegranate seeds.

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving
Calories
731kcals
Fat
21g (5.9g saturated)
Protein
62g
Carbohydrates
68g (9.5g sugars)
Fibre
9.4g
Salt
1.7g

delicious. tips

  1. Moghrabieh is the name of the specific type of Lebanese couscous used in this dish. It can be found online, but you can also use giant couscous (which, ironically, is slightly smaller).

Buy ingredients online

Recipe By:

Angela Zaher

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