Harissa chicken with bulghur wheat pilaf

I much prefer cooking bone-in, skin-on chicken and seldom buy chicken breasts. Too often they turn out dry and tasteless – and cost more as well.

But when I find myself with a packet of chicken breasts, this harissa chicken is a good way to go. The meat turns out tender and juicy, and is delicious served with the nutty, chewy bulghur wheat pilaf.

I clipped this from a magazine years ago, and no longer know where it’s from…

Harissa chicken with bulghur wheat pilaf
(serves 4)

• 4 chicken breasts
• 2 Tb harissa
• 2 Tb olive oil
• 1 red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 250g bulghur wheat
• 400ml chicken stock, hot
• 1/4 cup currants
• salt and pepper
• 2 Tb parsley, chopped

1. Cut diagonal slashes into the chicken breasts. Whisk together the harissa and half the olive oil and toss with the chicken, turning to coat. Leave to marinate for half an hour.
2. Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan over a medium flame. Add the onion and sauté until softened.
3. Add the ginger, cinnamon, allspice and pine nuts, and cook for five minutes more. Add the bulghur wheat and stir until combined. Remove from heat, add the hot chicken stock and currants. Cover and leave for 10-15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat a heavy frying pan or grill pan over a medium-high flame. Cook the chicken for six to eight minutes a side, until golden and cooked through.
5. Fluff the bulghar with a fork and stir the parsley through it, reserving some to scatter on top.

Tags: African food, bulghur wheat, currants, harissa, Moroccan food, pine nuts