This is a simple but exotic dish from Syria that is incredibly aromatic. It is made with everyday ingredients and takes just on 15 minutes to prepare to pop in the oven. I like to serve this with Giant Couscous but you can serve it with normal couscous, pasta, rice, polenta or even mashed potato.
My blogs are usually upbeat and cheerful, but I couldn’t possibly share a Syrian dish without acknowledging the unrest currently going on in Syria. Syria is a country that has been at civil war for almost 4 years. And the most devastating of this war, as with any war, is the effect on the innocent. More than a quarter of Syrians – 4 million people – have fled their homes to seek safety in neighbouring countries. 4 million people!
“There will come a time when Syria is once again a beautiful and peaceful country.”
And most heartbreaking of all is to think that more than half the refugees are children. Just think about your childhood. Then think about what millions of Syrian children must be going through right now. It puts things into perspective, doesn’t it? UNICEF has a Syrian Crisis Appeal if you would like to make a donation to support the children of Syria. You can click through to it here.
OK, time to lift the mood and move onto a cheerier topic.
Syria is a country that is bordered by the Mediterranean and the Middle East. So the food of Syria is a wonderful fusion of two of my favourite cuisines. Syrian recipes are often flavoured with spices that are frequently used in Middle Eastern dishes like turmeric, cinnamon, cumin and coriander. And the flavours are also very similar to neighbouring Mediterranean countries like Turkey.
“This is one of those dishes that will warm your soul. The fragrance that fills your house while it’s cooking is just incredible!”
If you like strong flavoured food with Arabic aromas, then you will love this dish. The chicken is seared with cumin, coriander and turmeric, then baked with a chili based tomato sauce. It is served on Giant Couscous which tastes just like ordinary couscous, but they are….well, giant!
Giant couscous is actually called Moghrabieh, Israeli or Pearl Couscous. But I started calling them Giant Couscous when I first cooked with them and I can’t shake the habit! Giant Couscous is used in Mediterranean / Middle Eastern cooking and it is made from wheat flour or semolina. It can be used like any other grain like pasta and rice, and you cook it like pasta. You can buy it at large supermarkets here in Australia in the pasta section next to the normal couscous.
If you can’t find Giant Couscous then the best substitute is risoni/orzo (the rice like shaped pasta) or rice. You could also use other types of pasta, or ordinary couscous. But truly, I urge you to try Giant Couscous. They are such a novelty! The slippery little pasta beads are simply perfect for scooping up with the rich sauce.
Love to hear what you think! And as always, if you have any questions at all, just leave a comment below and I’ll be sure to respond!
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 lb / 1 kg chicken thigh fillets , bone in and skin on (4 to 5 pieces) (see notes)
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp salt
- Black pepper
- 1 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger , finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , halved and finely sliced
- 2 birds eye chilis , finely chopped (or to taste) (see notes)
- 1/4 cup (combined) mint and coriander leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 14 oz / 400 g canned crushed tomato
- 1 cup chicken stock / broth
- 1/8 tsp saffron powder (see notes)
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
- 3 sprigs of thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme leaves
- 1/4 cup dried currants or sultanas (optional) (see notes)
- 8 oz / 250 g giant couscous (Israeli or Pearl Couscous)
- Yoghurt (optional)
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Preheat oven to 180C/350F.
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Place chicken on a plate or in a large bowl. Sprinkle with Chicken Spices and use your hands to coat the chicken.
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Heat olive oil in a large, oven proof fry pan over high heat.
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Add chicken, skin side down, and sear until the skin is nicely browned. Turn chicken over and cook the other side until browned. Remove chicken from pan. Drain pan of excess oil.
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Add onion, garlic, ginger and chili into the pan. Saute for 2 minutes until the onion is translucent and starting to brown.
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Add canned tomato, chicken stock/broth, saffron powder, cumin powder and thyme. Bring to simmer, then turn the stove off. Nestle the chicken into the tomato broth, then cover with foil (or lid) and place into the oven. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes.
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Meanwhile, cook the Giant Couscous according to packet instructions. Usually it just needs to be boiled in salted water for around 4 minutes, then drain it.
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When the chicken is dark golden brown and cooked, remove from oven. Stir through dried currents (if using), lemon juice and half the mint and coriander. Then sprinkle over remaining mint and coriander.
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Serve on Giant Couscous with a dollop of yoghurt, if using.
1. I really encourage you to make this with skin on, bone in chicken thigh fillets. I know it isn't as healthy as skinless and that bone in meat is not as easy to eat, but the crispy skin is one of the highlights of this dish and bone in meat is always juicier.
2. You can substitute the birds eye chili with 1/2 to 1 tsp chili powder (adjust quantity to your taste).
3. Giant Couscous (also known as Moghrabieh, Israeli or Pearl Couscous) is available in the pasta section alongside ordinary couscous in most large supermarkets. You can substitute with ordinary couscous, pasta (risoni/orzo), rice, polenta or even mashed potato.
4. The proper way of making this is with saffron threads. However, I use saffron powder because saffron threads are really expensive (it's the most expensive spice in the world!). You can substitute the saffron powder with a pinch of saffron threads.
5. I made the currants / sultanas optional because I am not the hugest fan of dried fruit in savoury food and I think that this dish has dust a strong flavour anyway that it isn't necessary. However, the traditional way of making this in Syria includes currants.
6. Nutrition per serving.
Hi Nagi! Greetings from UK! I was planning to make this beautiful dish for the first time and realised I don’t have saffron. Would that make much of a difference if I omitted saffron? I guess there is no decent substitution….
That’s ok Kasia! Still definitely worth making!! N xx
Love love love this recipe. I’ve been helping some refugees and wanted to make a big meal like there own when they visited. They loved it! said it was 100% authentic but very close! One thing they said is traditionally you would cook over a fire (what we did), said that’s the best way to get everything as perfectly flavored and browned. Well done!
Ohhhhhh….I love love LOVE hearing that Lindsay! How wonderful you are, helping the refugees. Can I ask where you are located? I have often thought how I could lend a hand.
Hi Nagi,
I absolutely love this dish, we serve it with cauliflower rice (we are grain free) and it always goes down a treat. Just wondering if it could be made with a whole chicken cut into pieces? Or would it be too dry? I’m dying to make it again but have a chicken I want to use up. Thanks!
Gosh YES to using a whole chicken, perfect!!!
Great, thank you!!! Do you think I should cut it into four or joint it first, or cook whole? Thanks again!
I think if you can cut it into large pieces like pictured or at least into 4 then the cook time will be similar. 🙂
Hi 🙂
Just wanted to let you know something. Me and a group of friends have sponsored a Syrian refugee family and are also making a welcome meal for the arrival. I’m making this dish for their first dinner in America. Thought you’d like to know.
Hope it turns out delicious and brings them comfort.
Blessings,
Hena
Oh Hena! I got goosebumps when I read this message. Out of curiosity, how is that working with Trump’s new immigration laws? Or was this before?? You and your friends are wonderful. Bless you Hena. N xx
I made this recipe once with the pearled couscous and I’m planning on making it again. My husband and I loved the dish. Having lived in the Middle East for some time I can tell that the dish is as authentic as it gets.
On a more serious note, I hope that Syria’s wars end. It’s utterly a miserable and sad situation.
We see heartbreaking stories aired over here. It’s devastating 🙁 Thank you for letting you know you enjoyed this Sheryn. N x
This reminds me of Karen Martini’s wonderful syrian chicken dish, except with hers your simmer it with all the stock rather than put it in the oven.
Oh! I didn’t know Karen Martini has one!! I love Karen. I have so many of her cookbooks! She does modern middle eastern so well 🙂
Hi .thanks a lot it’s great and so delicious .I maked it last night .
and thanks about your web site
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! This one is a personal favorite of mine 🙂 Thank you for coming back to share your feedback!!
This looks fantastic and I will be working this into the family rotation very soon. The photographs on your site are amazing.
Would you share the manufacturer of your cast iron pan in this photo? I must find one.
Thank you for such a great site that I just found today.
Hi Mike! I’m so glad you see things on my site that appeal to you 🙂 I hope you like this Syrian chicken, it is a personal favourite of mine!
The cast iron pan is made by a brand called Range Kleen which is not all that common I’m afraid! But when I googled it, I found a link to it at Walmart, though currently not available. Not that expensive either! It’s much more expensive here in Australia.
It isn’t non stick though, it has a rough surface. Very heavy weight so retains heat incredibly well. Just so you know!
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Range-Kleen-10-Enamel-and-Cast-Iron-Fry-Pan-Blue/8246371
I’m going to make this dish tonight as a friend is coming over for dinner. I’m a fan of Israeli couscous, and most of the time have it in my pantry. I try to get the wholemeal couscous, which is what I’ll be using tonight. Currants and sultanas are also a staple in my kitchen, and will definitely be going in! Love fruit in savoury dishes!
Oh wow, I didn’t even know you could get wholemeal Israeli couscous! I must have a scout around. I love fruit in savoury dishes too! When used right 🙂 I’m not a huge fan of apricots and chunky pieces of dried fruit in meat dishes (though in stuffing I adore it!) I hope you enjoy it Lyn! I’ve had some great feedback from friends who have tried it 🙂
Nagi, I have made this recipe 3 times in the last 6 weeks! I just discovered you about 2 months ago and have enjoyed making many recipes and my family LOVES them also. Most I have made more than once, in fact ALL. This is one of my faves so far. I LOVE to cook, and love Middle Eastern food, but sometimes Middle Eastern recipes call for ingredients not used on a regular basis, but this recipe is not only EASY, so TASTY and I had most ingredients at hand. The combination of the cinnamon and cumin give this chicken an amazing taste and smell while searing, and I realy sear these as I think it makes a difference in the end. I use white raisins at the very end to give it some sweetness and another texture ( I had them the first time making and we liked the taste). I like to change up recipes by adding more, using less etc., but with this I find all the ingredients perfect. I do add slivered almonds to my cous cous. Before this recipe my husband did not like dark chicken- ??! BUT he eats this AND your Hawaiian Sticky legs as well ; ) My 2 year old grandson, Sully kept saying YUM! with every bite he took of this Syrian Chicken, so thumbs up from our whole family. THANK YOU and we are all addicted to the CRACK BREAD and I am addicted to your site. From P Town- Lisa.
Lisa – your messages are the loveliest I have ever received, for the detail and the enthusiasm, not even about enjoying my recipes (though I am so pleased to hear it, so so pleased!). I think you are pretty much a bloggers dream reader and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the time you have taken to leave this feedback. It is people like you that are the reason that I love to share the food I love. I love the variations that you made, you took this up to another level! Your grandson clearly has VERY advanced palate for a boy of his age! And you husband – it was about time he discovered the pleasures of dark chicken and I’m glad I was a part of that!! Thank you again, this message has absolutely made my day!
You are welcome Nagi, and I AM the one who is thankful to have found a real cook who loves to cook like me. I do not know about you… but (and my husband thinks this is odd, but HEY some people enjoy ironing???!), I enjoy, and find it relaxing cutting up veggies for my dishes! It is probably because I have great- priced knives, I actually find it relaxing :} . I will let you know about the gingerbread and FYI, my husband has pics of your shredded beef, cracked bread, and pulled pork that I made, -now who is weird! x
I’m with you Lisa! People think I’m weird that I find cooking relaxing. I’ll walk in after a long day and no matter how exhausted I am, I find it relaxing to chop veggies rather than sit in front of the TV (though I have a glass of wine to help me relax doing either of those things!!). I find it therapeutic!
I cannot even talk about current events other than to say they keep me up at night. They literally prevent me from sleeping sometimes. My heart goes out to all the people affected. Your recipe is delicious as always and full of flavors I don’t intuitively put together but always enjoy. Israeli couscous is one of those ingredients I have seen but haven’t tried yet. I think it’s time! Thanks for sharing such a fabulous recipe!!!
Thanks for your sweet comment Meggan. Yes, it is heartbreaking what’s happening over there.
That area of the world has some of the most AMAZING flavors! All of those warm/aromatic spices – I wish my kitchen smelled like that all the time! I love how the sauce from this dish seeps into the pearl couscous – my mouth is watering just thinking about all of those flavors melting together- yum!
Thanks for the enthusiastic words Kathleen!! YES the pearl couscous is just the best….I am so tempted to even use it for pasta dishes!
I love Middle Eastern flavours so I can imagine how good this dish tasted. Definitely need to get my hands on some Israeli cous cous and some Chicken so I can make this tonight! Do you think it would work equally as well with breast Nagi?
Hey Thalia!! It will definitely still be delicious made with chicken breast, but you know….the skin always adds flavour 🙂 But the substance of the dish will still be the same! 🙂
I’m so impressed by this post, Nagi. The statistics you gave us about Syria are truly shocking and it actually brings it home a little more when you follow them with such a beautiful recipe. It represents a very precious culture belonging to millions of innocent and suffering people.
The recipe itself sounds just delicious. I lived in Greece for years and they often add cinnamon to their meat. I wonder if something like this would work in a slow cooker?
Hi Helen! This will definitely work in the slow cooker but the skin won’t be as crispy and that adds to the flavour 🙂 If I were to make this in a slow cooker, I would still sear the chicken beforehand. And if I had the time, I would pop it in the oven or under the grill/broiler to crisp the top of the chicken a bit before serving it. But even without doing it, you will still get most of the flavour! Yes, the situation in Syria is very sad, and I agree that talking about delicious food in conjunction with it really makes it hit home. 🙁
Very sad to thinking about innocent people in Syria. By the way I never seen or cooked pearl /Giant Couscous before hihi 🙂 it looks so cute…like mini balls:-)
Yes, it is really sad Amallia. We should consider ourselves very fortunate that we live such sheltered lives. And yes, definitely give giant couscous a go! They are fabulous!
Nagi, thanks for shedding light on the conflict in Syria right now. I hope things get better in Syria, and that the displaced children can still have the chance to enjoy some Syrian chicken despite the uproar. This dish looks delicious, and I love that the skin was left on intentionally for a crispier taste. I also go back and forth between keeping skin on or off dishes, but keeping it on really tastes amazing. The sauce you used seems so aromatic and delicious, like it’ll fill my whole apartment up with the smell of this Syrian chicken!
Thanks so much for your sweet comment Sarah! Yes, it really is heartbreaking thinking what’s happening in Syria.
This looks awesome- garlic, ginger, chili, thyme, all the flavors that I love and use frequently -Couple with couscous and chicken ….mmm. I am salivating.
Thanks Imma! Thought this one might appeal to you, very similar use of spices to African / Carribean food! 🙂
Nagi, this looks delicious! As a Syrian-American, this post really hit home – thank you for spreading awareness with a tasty Syrian recipe. My mother has never cooked this particular dish, but she does use the Moghrabieh in another dish with chicken, chickpeas and other similar spices (but no tomatoes). I can’t wait to try this and see if my parents have had this before. Thanks for sharing!
Oh wow Tara, I did not realise you were of Syrian background! That’s so cool! I’m so jealous. You must have grown up with such amazing food. You are so lucky!
Nagi this dish looks delicious, and I’m sure it it tastes that way! Syria is not too far from Bulgaria (where I was born) and we have a few Bulgarian dishes inspired by Syrian/ Turkish cuisines. I like the spices you used, I love using cumin in chicken, pork or shrimp. Couscous is something I like from my childhood (my grandmother used to cook), but I rarely make it.
What is going on there is more that unacceptable for the 21 century, and the worst is the effect on the innocent people there. There also are around 8000 Syrian refugees in Bulgaria.
(for some reason I’m unable to rate the recipe with 5 stars, it only lets me do 3 stars)?
Hi Mira, I thought this might hit home for your 🙁 It really is so sad.
What a wonderfully flavorful dish. I love the giant couscous which is a great side to this dish. Perfection.
Thanks Janette!! Yes, I love the giant couscous too. I have a big soft spot for it!