Moghrabieh (Lebanese Pearl Couscous and Chicken Stew)

Bowl of chicken, chickpea and couscous on a marble table with a side lemon and extra couscous.

5 from 6 votes

Moghrabieh (Lebanese Pearl Couscous and Chicken Stew)

Moghrabieh is a hearty and comforting Lebanese pearl couscous and chicken stew popular throughout the Middle East. It’s spiced with rich and warm spices making it a perfect fall or winter meal.

Prep Time15

Cook Time45

Total Time1

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: Levantine, Middle Eastern

Servings: Servings

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $15

Ingredients

Chicken Broth

1 tsp Olive oil
2 lbs Chicken thighs, bone-in and skin-on - You can use a whole chicken or chicken breasts
Salt and black pepper
2 Garlic cloves - Finely minced
2 Bay leaves
1 Cinnamon stick
1 tsp Baharat (7-Spice)
1 tsp Caraway, ground - Substitute with equal parts cumin and fennel
2 cups Pearl onions - Peeled
1 can Chickpeas

Moghrabieh Pearls

1 cup Moghrabieh
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp Butter

Garnish

Parsley - Chopped
Lemon juice

Instructions

Sear Chicken. Season the chicken generously with salt and black pepper on both sides. In a large pot or Dutch oven set on medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Sear the chicken thighs skin side down for 4-5 minutes, until golden brown.
Make Broth. Using tongs, turn the chicken thighs over. Add the chopped onion, garlic, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and dry spices. Pour in 6 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add a big pinch of salt. Reduce the heat to low and simmer. Skim away any foam that rises to the top.
Add pearl onions and chickpeas. After 30 minutes, add the peeled pearl onions and drained chickpeas to the pot. Continue to simmer.
Remove aromatics and chicken. After 15 minutes remove and discard the bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Carefully remove the chicken thighs and set them on a plate to cool for 15 minutes.
Shred Chicken. Shred the chicken with your hands or a pair of forks, discarding the bones and skin. Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Keep the pot simmering on low. Taste the broth at this point and adjust the seasoning.
Boil the Moghrabieh. Bring another pot of water to a boil. Add the Moghrabieh and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the liquid, leaving behind the cooked Moghrabieh.
Season the Moghrabieh pearls. Add the butter to the cooked couscous. Stir well.
Serve. Serve the Moghrabieh by combining the couscous and the broth. Garnish with fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Notes

Refer to the blog post above for detailed step-by-step photos.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

- Moghrabieh (Lebanese couscous). You can find this ingredient at your local Middle Eastern grocer or online. If you cannot find it, you can substitute it for Maftoul (Palestinian couscous) or pearl couscous. Do not use small Moroccan couscous for this recipe, as it will not give you the same texture and mouthfeel.

- Chicken. The traditional recipe calls for chicken and chicken broth. I encourage you to make your own chicken broth for this recipe and shred the chicken yourself. I like to make this with bone-in and skin-on thighs (which are cheaper), but you can also do the same with chicken breast. Alternatively, you can use boxed broth and shredded rotisserie chicken in a pinch.

- Pearl onions. Traditionally this recipe includes pearl onions which are small onions you can find in mesh bags or boxes next to the onion and potato racks at most grocers. Sometimes you can find pear onions already peeled and ready to be used in the refrigerated section near the mushrooms and salad greens.

- Caraway. Caraway is traditionally used, but it's uncommon in North America. It can be replaced with the more common cumin and fennel seed.

- Baharat (7-Spice). This ubiquitous Middle Eastern spice blend can be found easily these days. Or you can make your own 7-Spice. You can substitute with equal parts ground cinnamon, cumin, and coriander.

- Chickpeas (garbanzo beans). I recommend using a can of chickpeas. You can boil dry chickpeas if you insist on making this whole recipe from scratch.

Nutrition