Syrian Freekeh and Chicken Soup

Place the chicken in a pot, cover with water or chicken stock, add one peeled onion, a cinnamon stick, cardamom, and salt. Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, and simmer over low heat for 40–45 minutes, until the chicken is tender.

Remove the chicken, strain the broth, and pull the meat off the bones, cutting it into medium pieces.

Sort through the freekeh, rinse it in several changes of water, and drain well. Finely chop the second onion.

Heat the oil in a clean pot, add the chopped onion, and cook over medium heat for 5–7 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Add the freekeh and stir for 2–3 minutes so the grain soaks up the flavor of the oil and onion.

Pour in the strained broth, add the cooked chickpeas and black pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, cover with a lid, and simmer over low heat for 20–25 minutes, until the freekeh is tender but still has a slight bite.

Return the chicken meat to the pot, heat the soup through for another 5 minutes, and adjust the salt if needed.

Remove the soup from the heat, let it rest covered for 5 minutes, and serve hot.