My enthusiasm for middle eastern style food, which I was mad about last year, has not dulled at all. I still find it fresh, healthy and full of flavour and it’s generally also quick and easy to prepare, which means that it’s on our table a lot.

I adapted this recipe from a palestinian dish which sounded delicious, but required freekeh, which I was not able to find so I replaced with bulghar wheat. I’ve since been able to locate and purchase some freekeh, so I’ll be trying that out soon on a different recipe.

This really delivers on flavour, with plenty of fresh herbs and pomegranate, with za’atar being the main flavour on the chicken. This is the first time I’ve used za’atar, which is middle eastern dried herb mix containing thyme, oregano and basil thyme; hence it works really well with chicken. 

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 100g bulghar wheat
• 2 skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
• 0.5 tbsp dried mint
• 0.5 tbsp za’atar
• small bunch fresh flatleaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 2 spring onions, chopped diagonally
• Seeds from 1 pomegranate
• 1 red chilli, sliced diagonally

Instructions

1. Put the chicken breasts in a baking tray and drizzle over the pomegranate molasses. Scatter over the dried mint and za’atar, then season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (the juices should run clear when pierced with a skewer in the thickest part). Allow to cool slightly, then slice thinly. Retain the juices.
2. Cook the bulghar wheat to the packet instructions. Add the chopped parsley, spring onions and chilli, then mix through.
3. Slice the chicken and serve with the bulghar. Top with the juices from the chicken and scatter with pomegranate seeds.
4. 05.Mix all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl, then toss through the salad, reserving a little to serve on the side.

Adapted from Delicious Magazine