How long does the Chicken Freekeh Salad keep for?

The salad can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store the salad and dressing separately to avoid a soggy and unpleasant salad. The salad is not suitable for freezing.

Freekeh is an ancient grain made from young durum wheat that has been harvested early. It has a chewy texture and a delicious nutty and earthly flavour.

Freekah is an unrefined carb. It offers a number of other nutritional benefits because it is harvested while it is still young. Freekah is high in protein and fibre and also contains a little iron and calcium.

Should you soak freekeh before you cook it?

It does not need to be soaked. However, it will benefit from a thorough rinse to remove the grit and other debris that can be found in some varieties of freekeh.

Chicken Freekeh Salad

Description

A quick and easy chicken freekeh salad with crunchy cucumber, juicy pomegranate jewels, creamy feta and fresh mint.

Serves 4. Use the scaling buttons below to double or triple the quantity.

Ingredients

Scale

4 chicken thighs - fat removed and cut into bite-sized chunks
Sea or kosher salt
Ground black pepper
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp olive, groundnut or canola oil
500g (or 14oz) cooled cooked freekeh - (approx 200g or 7oz) uncooked freekeh (note 1)
8 tbsp pomegranate seeds
1/2 cucumber - seeds removed and cut into small squares (Note 2)
200g (or 7oz) feta - crumbled
4 tbsp pistachio nuts
4 tbsp roughly chopped fresh mint

Dressing:

4 tbsp lemon juice (1.5 lemons approx)
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp garlic granules
2 tsp honey
1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Instructions

Season the chicken thighs with salt, black pepper and ground coriander.
Place a medium sized frying pan on a medium to high heat and add the chicken thighs when the oil is hot. Cook for a few minutes until they begin to brown and are cooked through. (Note 3)
Meanwhile, combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl or jug and set aside.
Place the freekeh, pomegranate seeds, cucumber, feta and pistachio nuts in a large salad bowl.
Add the cooked chicken when it is ready.
Pour on the dressing, toss and serve on plates or in bowls when ready.

Notes

You can use precooked freekeh if you wish. If using uncooked freekeh, cook according to packet instructions and allow to cool.
Cut cucumber into 1cm or 1/2 inch squares
Check the doneness of the chicken by cutting one of the larger pieces in half. If it is white and opaque the chicken is cooked, if you see any pink toss it back in the pan for a little longer.

Category: Salad
Method: stove-top
Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Keywords: chicken freekeh salad