Maftoul (Palestinian Couscous)

Maftoul, Palestinian Couscous, is a hearty delicious dish with two components. The maftoul itself, you can think of it as a grain. The second component is the flavorful chicken stew filled with chickpeas, onions, and spices served on top of the maftoul.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 bag of maftoul (follow bag instructions, or follow instructions below)
• 1 chicken cut into 4-6
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (divide in half, for spicing chicken and with cooked maftoul)
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (divide in half, for spicing chicken and with cooked maftoul)
• 4 -6 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 2-3 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2-3 sweet onions
• 1.5 tablespoons butter (half a tablespoon used for sauteing onions)
• 1-2 teaspoons of sea salt (adjust to taste).

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Remove skin from chicken and rub the chicken with spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice).
2. 2In a large pot and over medium-high heat, heat olive oil.
3. 3Place chicken over oil, and brown on both sides, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
4. 4Cover the chicken with water until submerged, add bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and cardamom pods over water.
5. 5Once it starts boiling lower it to medium heat, cover and let it cook.
6. 6While chicken is boiling lift up the cover and with a large spoon remove any foam that gathers on top of the water. Repeat this process if necessary.
7. 7Meanwhile, slice onions into wedges.
8. 8In a separate pot, heat oil or butter and saute onions for 2-4 minutes. (onions do not need to be fully cooked as they’ll be cooking with the chicken and broth).
9. 9Let the chicken cook for 20 minutes then add sauteed onions, and chickpeas, over chicken broth.
10. 10Then add salt and turmeric, mix everything well together, and continue cooking on low heat for another 20 minutes and until chicken is fully tender.
11. 11Adjust spices and salt as needed.
12. 12Make maftoul separately by following package instructions.
13. 13After maftoul is cooked, add butter, nutmeg, and cinnamon over maftoul and integrate it all together.
14. 14Serve hot in a plate by pouring cooked maftoul first then the stew over it.
15. 15Wash and rinse maftoul.
16. 16To provent maftoul from sticking add 1 teaspoon of oil at the bottom of the pot.
17. 17Add maftoul and saute for 1 minute.
18. 18Pour hot water over maftoul: 1 and ⅓ cups of boiled water per 1 cup of dried maftoul.
19. 19Once it starts boiling, lower the heat and cover.
20. 20Let it cook for 10-15 minutes.
21. 21Once ready, fluff with a fork, add butter, cinnamon and nutmeg powder and mix well.