Serving Dish of Chicken Maftoul
(click to enlarge)

Chicken Maftoul Couscous


Palestine, Jordan   -   Maftoul
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 3-3/4 #
****
2-2/3 hrs
Part		 This very popular dish is actually two recipes. The Chicken and Moftoul are cooked separately, then combined at serving. See also Serving and Do-Ahead.




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2
1/2
1
1
1
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2-1/4
2
2/3
1/3
1/2
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1-2/3
11
8
5
1-1/2
2-1/2
1/4
1/2
14
the
3-1/4
ar
2
1/4
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t
T
t
t
T
---
#
T
t
t
T
---
c
oz
cl
oz
T
t
c
t
oz

c

T
c
-- Spice Mix
Cumin seed
Coriander
Fennel seed
Cinnamon grnd
Turmeric
-- Chicken
Chicken (1)
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Spice Mix
-- Maftoul
Maftoul (2)
Medium Onions
Garlic
Carrots
Olive Oil
Salt
Tomato Sauce (3)  
Sugar
can Chickpeas
Spice Mix
Chicken Broth
Water
Lemon Juice
Parsley Flat
Spice Mix   -   (5 min) - This will be used in two places.
  1. Prepare Spice Mix:   Grind together all Whole Spices. Mix all Spices items.
Chicken   -   (15 min prep   -   30 min cooking)
  1. Preheat oven to 475°F/245°C.
  2. Remove bones from CHICKEN THIGHS, leaving skin-on. Trim loose skin around the edges.
  3. Mix Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper, and 1/2 T Spice Mix. In a shallow bowl, tumble with the Chicken until well coated.
  4. Arrange Chicken on parchment paper in a rimmed Baking Sheet. Slip into the oven and roast until nicely browned and cooked through (160°F/70°C or above in the center).
  5. Chicken can be reheated in the oven before serving.
Moftul   -   (30 min prep - 1-1/4 hrs cooking)
  1. Slice ONIONS lengthwise into narrow strips.
  2. Peel CARROTS and cut into disks about 1/2 inch thick.
  3. Crush GARLIC until it splits up.
  4. Squeeze LEMON JUICE.
  5. Chop PARSLEY small. Measure is after chopping moderately packed.
  6. In a spacious pot (5 quart), heat Olive Oil. Stir in Onions and 2-1/2 t Salt. Fry, stirring regularly until Onions are translucent.
  7. Stir in Tomato Sauce and Sugar for about 1 minute, then stir in Carrots and fry stirring often for about 3 minutes.
  8. Stir in the Chickpeas, Garlic, remaining Spice Mix, and Broth. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered until Carrots are just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Strain Vegies out reserving broth and Vegies. Keep Vegies warm.
  9. Pour Broth back into the pan (you should still have about 2-1/2 cups). Stir in Maftoul and bring up just short of a boil. Hold at just under a boil (170 to 190 °F/ 77 to 88°C) until Maftoul is tender. It should still have a bit of bite to it. Stir very often, scrape up from the bottom of the pan and add Heated Water as needed - amount will vary with Maftoul type. There should be a little liquid left.
  10. Meanwhile:   reheat Chicken and Vegies in a 250°F/88°C oven.
  11. Fluff up the Maftoul with a fork and tumble in the Vegetables, Lemon Juice, and 1/2 the Parsley
  12. For Buffet, cut Chicken into about 3/4 to 1 inch chunks. For Table Service you can leave the Chicken joints whole, or cut them as you desire. IF Buffet service, tumble the Chicken chunks into the Maftoul.
  13. Spoon Maftoul into a deep serving dish. IF Table Service, scatter the Chicken Joints on top of the Maftoul. Garnish with the remaining Parsley and and Serve hot - see Serving. This recipe can be reheated in the oven.
NOTES:

  1. Chicken:

      Weight is Thighs, skin-on bones-in. For traditional service the Chicken would be cooked bone-in. For buffet service it is better to remove the bones - see Serving.

  2. Maftoul:

      [Palestinian Couscous]   Of course the real thing, hand rolled in the Levant using Bulgur Wheat would be preferred, but you may need to use a machine made product due to availability. For details see our Maftoul page.

  3. Tomato Sauce:

      This should be a very simple tomato sauce. My favorite is Faraon Spanish Style, which comes in convenient 8 oz cans, but other simple sauces will also work.

  4. Serving:

      In Palestine, whole joints of cooked Chicken are scattered over the Maftoul, usually skin-on and bone-in. This is fine for Table Service, but for Buffet Service I call for Thighs and bone them. This is so they can be cut up neatly into 3/4 to 1 inch chunks after roasting. They are tossed into the Maftoul to prevent some yo yo from just skimming off the Chicken leaving little for others. For Buffet, it is best served in a covered electric skillet set to "keep warm".

  5. Do-Ahead:

      You can do everything down to stirring Maftoul into the broth (step 15). Package Chicken and Vegies separately and refrigerate. The broth, having just been boiled, can be sealed in jars and held overnight at a cool room temperature.
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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