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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Moghrabieh with Chicken and Chickpeas

Moghrabieh with chicken and chickpeas is a simmered dish made with large semolina pearls, serving 4 people, ready in 70 minutes, rated easy, for about €2.90 per person. The key to success is toasting the pearls before adding liquid and building a chicken broth well seasoned with cinnamon and caraway.

Tonight I'm making you moghrabieh, those big pearls of semolina that simmer in a fragrant chicken broth, with chickpeas and pearl onions.

Moghrabieh with Chicken and Chickpeas
Total time
1 h 10
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.90
Calories per person
630 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Moghrabieh, also known as Israeli couscous or pearl couscous, simmers gently in a chicken broth spiced with cinnamon and caraway. The pearls swell as they soak up the broth, turning soft on the outside while keeping a little bite in the center. The chicken, braised right in that same broth, falls off the bone on its own, and the small pearl onions add a sweetness that balances the spices.

This is a relaxed Sunday dish or an easy weeknight meal, the kind you set in the middle of the table in its pot so everyone can ladle their own portion. Kids tend to like the round, chewy pearls and the mild taste of the chicken, while the chickpeas add substance without complicating anything. Mon Chou suggests it for a dinner that warms you up without demanding constant attention.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 4

Pantry

  • Moghrabieh or Israeli couscous 300 g
  • Canned chickpeasoften in the pantry 400 g
  • Caraway seedsoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Cinnamonoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Chicken brothoften in the pantry 1 l
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Pearl onions 300 g

Dairy

  • Butter 30 g

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the chicken thighs in the olive oil in a Dutch oven, then set aside. 8 min

    Color the skin well, it will give the broth more flavor.

  2. Cook the peeled pearl onions in the same pot with the caraway and cinnamon, then return the chicken and cover with broth.

    Drop the pearl onions in boiling water for 1 minute to peel them without tears.

  3. Cover and let simmer, then add the drained chickpeas. 35 min

    Keep the heat low, the chicken should pull away from the bone almost on its own.

  4. Toast the moghrabieh in the butter in a skillet, then add it to the broth.

    If using Israeli pearls, cook them right in the pot, they'll soak up the broth.

  5. Cook until the pearls are tender, season with salt and pepper, and serve with a ladle. 15 min

    Taste a pearl, it should be tender without being sticky, add hot broth if it looks dry.

Our tips to get it right

  • Drop the pearl onions in boiling water for 1 minute before peeling, the skins slip right off and your eyes stay dry.
  • Hold off on salting the broth too early, the canned chickpeas and the chicken broth already bring plenty of salt.
  • If the moghrabieh soaks up all the liquid before turning tender, add hot broth a ladle at a time rather than cold water.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken thighs on the bone for boneless thighs to shave a little time off the cooking.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken, double the chickpeas, and use vegetable broth instead.
  • For kids in a hurry, serve the moghrabieh plain with just shredded chicken, leaving out the whole spices.

What to serve it with

  • A bowl of plain yogurt
  • A fresh cucumber salad
  • Warm flatbread

Storage

Moghrabieh keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, pearls and chicken together. Reheat gently with a splash of broth or water to bring back the softness of the pearls.

Questions about this dish

Can I use regular couscous instead of moghrabieh?

You can, but the texture changes a lot. Regular couscous steams in just a few minutes, while moghrabieh simmers in the broth and keeps a firmer, rounder bite.

Do I need to soak the moghrabieh before cooking?

No, that's not necessary. Just toast it dry or in butter, then cook it straight in the hot broth until it turns tender.

Can I make this dish ahead of time?

You can cook the chicken and broth the day before, then add the moghrabieh at the last moment so it doesn't turn mushy when reheated.

What if I can't find caraway seeds?

You can swap them for cumin seeds, the flavor shifts slightly but stays just as fragrant. Cinnamon remains the main spice in this dish either way.

How long does it take to make a moghrabieh with chicken and chickpeas?

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

How many calories are in a moghrabieh with chicken and chickpeas?

About 630 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 moghrabieh with chicken and chickpeas cost?

About €2.90 per serving, or €11.60 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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