Ingredients:
- 4 large chicken legs (drumstick and thigh attached, bone-in, skin-on)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 cups authentic Palestinian Maftoul (large pearl couscous)
- 2 large yellow onions, thickly sliced
- 15 oz canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 4 cups chicken bone broth
- 1 tsp ground caraway
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 dried bay leaves
Instructions:
- Pat the chicken legs completely dry with paper towels. Rub them with 1 tbsp olive oil, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Place chicken skin-side down and sear for 6–8 minutes until the skin is a deep mahogany. Flip and sear the other side for 3 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside.
- In the same pot with the rendered fat, add the sliced onions and sauté for 5 minutes until they soften and brown at the edges.
- Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the 2 cups of maftoul to the onions. Stir constantly for 3 minutes until the grains smell nutty and turn a shade darker.
- Stir in the caraway, cumin, and bay leaves. Let them sizzle for 30 seconds until the aroma fills the room.
- Pour in the 4 cups of chicken bone broth and add the chickpeas. Use your spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Nestle the chicken legs back into the pot, skin side up (keep the skin above the liquid line if possible). Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 40 to 45 minutes until the chicken is tender and the pearls are plump.
- Turn off the heat. Remove the lid and let the dish sit for 5 minutes. This allows the maftoul to absorb any final bits of moisture and lets the chicken juices redistribute.
- Use a fork to gently fluff the grains around the chicken. Discard the bay leaves before serving. If you have extra chicken, this base works beautifully as a side for an Arlington Chicken Salad recipe the next day.