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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Chicken and vegetable berkoukes

Chicken and vegetable berkoukes is an Algerian dish made with large semolina pearls simmered in a tomato sauce with chicken, zucchini, carrots and chickpeas. For 4 people, it takes 70 minutes and is rated easy, at about €2.60 per serving. The key to success is stirring the pearls regularly so they plump up without clumping together.

Tonight, berkoukes, big pearls of semolina that plump up in a tomato sauce with chicken, zucchini, carrots and chickpeas, a comforting dish from Algeria.

Chicken and vegetable berkoukes
Total time
1 h 10
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.60
Calories per person
590 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter
The kids
They generally like it

Berkoukes are those big round semolina pearls that look a bit like fregola, and they slowly swell in a tomato sauce flavored with cumin and paprika. They soak up the juices from the chicken and vegetables as they cook, ending up tender all the way through while keeping a slight bite. The result sits somewhere between a thick soup and a saucy stew, where every spoonful mixes meat, soft vegetables and flavorful pearls.

This is a weeknight dish that takes a bit of patience but very little technique, perfect for a fall or winter evening when you want something warm and filling. Kids usually love the pearls and the mild sauce, and it's easy to adjust if you want to change up the vegetables. Mon Chou thought of you for this dinner that warms you up without complicating your evening.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 6

Pantry

  • Large semolina pearls (berkoukes or fregola)often in the pantry 300 g
  • Cooked chickpeasoften in the pantry 150 g
  • Tomato pasteoften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 300 g
  • Paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Ground cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Zucchini 2
  • Carrots 3
  • Onion 2

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the chicken with the oil and chopped onion, then add the tomato paste, spices, salt and pepper. 12 min

    The tomato paste should brown slightly, it gives a nice color.

  2. Add the tomatoes and sliced carrots, cover with water and let simmer. 25 min

    Add more sauce than you think you need, the pearls soak up a lot of it.

  3. Add the zucchini chunks and the chickpeas. 10 min

    Add them last so they stay tender, not mushy.

  4. Pour the large pearls into the sauce, stir and cover over low heat. 20 min

    Stir two or three times during cooking.

  5. Let rest 5 minutes covered and serve in large bowls. 5 min

    Resting lets the pearls soak up the last of the juices.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick medium sized berkoukes pearls or fregola, since larger ones take longer to cook and throw off your liquid ratios.
  • Prepare plenty of broth, since the pearls drink up a lot of liquid as they swell, it's better to have too much than too little.
  • Taste the sauce before adding the pearls and adjust the seasoning at that point, it's harder to fix once the pearls are mixed in.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken for lamb chunks for a more traditional version, letting it simmer a bit longer.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken and double the chickpeas, adding more vegetables like turnips or pumpkin.
  • For kids or a quicker meal, use fine semolina grains instead of the large pearls, cutting the cooking time in half.

What to serve it with

  • A squeeze of fresh lemon before serving
  • Harissa on the side for heat
  • Mint tea after the meal

Storage

Chicken and vegetable berkoukes keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well, since the pearls hold up without getting too mushy. Reheat gently with a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce back up.

Questions about this dish

Can you substitute the berkoukes pearls with something else?

Yes, Sardinian fregola works very well since it's close in size and texture. Medium couscous also works but soaks up less sauce and cooks faster.

Can you make this berkoukes ahead of time?

You can make the sauce with the chicken and vegetables a day ahead, then add the pearls when you reheat it. Pearls cooked in advance tend to stick together as they cool.

Why do my pearls stay hard in the center?

This usually happens when there isn't enough liquid in the sauce. Add some hot water and keep cooking covered, stirring regularly.

How can you adapt this recipe for kids?

Keep the mild flavors as written, the paprika and cumin stay light in this recipe. You can cut the vegetables smaller so they blend further into the sauce.

How long does it take to make a chicken and vegetable berkoukes?

Count 1 h 10 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a chicken and vegetable berkoukes?

About 590 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chicken and vegetable berkoukes cost?

About €2.60 per serving, or €10.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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