Slow-cooked cracked wheat and chicken porridge seasoned with cardamom, cinnamon, and ghee. A traditional Gulf suhoor dish with a creamy, ribbon-like consistency.
Chicken harees is a classic dish on the Ramadan suhoor table across the Arabian Peninsula, with roots that go back to pre-Islamic times.
The chicken version is lighter and faster to cook than the lamb version, and families favor it because there are fewer bones and the meat is more tender. The kitchen fills with the scent of cardamom and cinnamon, and it keeps you full through the hours of fasting.
In a large pot, place the chicken with the onion, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and about a liter of water. Bring to a boil and skim the foam, then lower the heat and simmer for 60 minutes until the meat is cooked and pulls away from the bone.
Drain the soaked wheat and add it to the pot with extra chicken stock. Continue cooking on low heat for 60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent sticking.
Lift the chicken out and remove the bones and skin. Shred the meat with your fingers into thin strips and return it to the pot, stirring well.
Add the cumin, turmeric, ginger, and black pepper. Melt half the ghee and stir it in well. Cook on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring, until the harees takes on a creamy consistency.
Pour the harees into a wide plate and garnish with the melted ghee, toasted almonds, and a pinch of cumin. Serve hot with bread or dates.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar, while the glycemic load (GL) measures how much a full serving raises it. Together they give the complete picture.
A low value (≤55) means a gradual rise in blood sugar — the most suitable range for diabetes and insulin resistance.
Glycemic load reflects the impact of the full serving. To lower it: take half a serving, or pair the recipe with a source of protein and fiber.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet per FDA food-label reference values — your daily needs may be higher or lower. Values are derived from the recipe's ingredients via the USDA database.
The most common problems when preparing Chicken Harees, and how to fix them:
Add a cup of stock and let it simmer for 10 minutes. High heat dries it out fast.
Extend the boiling time by 20 minutes. Frozen chicken needs longer.
Lower the heat and stir more. Slow cooking releases the starch and thickens it.
Add an extra pinch of cumin and a drizzle of melted ghee just before serving.
Three days. Reheat with a spoonful of ghee.
Two months. Let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
| Original Ingredient | Tested Substitute | Ratio | Flavor Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| chicken | turkey | 1:1 | Add 30 minutes to the cooking time. |
| cracked wheat | whole wheat | 1:1 | Add an hour to the cooking time. |
| local ghee | oil | 1:1 | A lighter version but less rich. |
| Ingredient | 4 people | 8 people | 12 people |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 1200 g | 2400 g | 3600 g |
| Wheat | 300 g | 600 g | 900 g |
| Ghee | 70 g | 140 g | 210 g |
| Broth | 1.5 L | 3 L | 4.5 L |
Soaking the wheat for 4 hours shortens cooking time and gives a smoother texture. Stir every 10 minutes during the final cook to prevent sticking. Chicken on the bone gives a flavor that boneless chicken cannot replace.
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