The Unmistakably Delicious Apricot Basil Freekeh Chicken

January 4, 2019

Apricot-Basil-Freekeh-Chicken-cover

If you’re in the mood for eating something that has history to it, something that has been around since forever, you might want to consider making this delicious meal. This apricot-basil freekeh chicken recipe will take your winter blues away with just one bite!

Freekeh, an ancient wheat variety, grants the savory chicken with a fantastically nutty, smoky flavor that could never be mistaken for any other dish. In the same time, the apricots will provide a sweet kick to your taste buds, and it all comes together perfectly with the subtle hint of basil. Don’t waste any time – start cooking now!

Ingredients

To make this amazing dish, you’ll need:

  • 1 ½ cups of water
  • 1 ¼ cups of unsalted chicken stock, divided
  • 1 cup of freekeh
  • ¾ teaspoon of kosher salt, divided
  • ½ teaspoon of black pepper, divided
  • ½ cup of dried apricots, chopped
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken thighs
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil
  • ½ cup of dry Marsala wine
  • 1 tablespoon of butter
  • ¼ cup of thinly sliced fresh basil

Preparation

Combine the water, 1 cup of stock, freekeh, 3/8 teaspoon of salt, and ¼ teaspoon of pepper in a medium saucepan, and bring everything to a boil. Cover the pan, and reduce the heat to medium before letting the mix simmer for 18 minutes (or until everything is tender).

Combine the remaining ¼ cup of stock, the wine, and apricots in a small bowl.

Sprinkle the chicken with the remaining 3/8 teaspoon of salt and the ¼ teaspoon of pepper, and get a large nonstick skillet.

Heat the skillet over medium-high heat, add oil to it, and swirl the oil to coat the pan.

Cook the chicken in the pan for 7 minutes (or until the desired degree of doneness has been reached), but make sure to turn it over once.

Add the apricot mix into the pan and cook everything for 2 more minutes. Stir in the butter, and remove the pan from the heat. Place about ¾ cup of freekeh mixture into each shallow serving bowl, and top each serving with 1 chicken thigh. Divide the sauce evenly among the servings and sprinkle each serving with basil.