Harira is traditionally served each night of Ramadan to break the fast.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 10 hr 25 min |
| Prep: | 20 min |
| Inactive: | 8 hr |
| Cook: | 2 hr 5 min |
| Yield: | 10 to 12 servings |
Ingredients
- 1/4 pound dried chickpeas
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes and their juices
- 1 1/2 quarts rich chicken stock
- 1/4 pound dried green lentils
- 1/2 cup long-grain rice
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- Cilantro sprigs, for garnishing
Instructions
- Pick over the chickpeas, cover with cold water, and soak overnight at room temperature. Drain chickpeas and rinse well with cold running water. Drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a medium stockpot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken pieces with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Add the chicken in batches, and cook until well browned, about 4 minutes per batch. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Add the onions and celery and cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the ginger, turmeric, pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Return the chicken to the pan and add the tomatoes and their juices, stirring well. Stir in the chicken stock, lentils, and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook at a gentle simmer for 1 hour.
- Add the rice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and return the soup to a simmer. Cook covered for 30 minutes. Remove the lid, add the cilantro, parsley, and lemon juice and cook, uncovered for 5 minutes.
- Ladle into warmed soup bowls and garnish with fresh cilantro sprigs.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 260 |
| Total Fat | 8 g |
| Saturated Fat | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 27 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g |
| Sugar | 5 g |
| Protein | 20 g |
| Cholesterol | 57 mg |
| Sodium | 386 mg |
Reviews
This is fantastic! I did not have dried chickpeas so, I doubled the lentils. The spices are perfect. I toasted/cooked them a little longer than the recipe calls for before adding the liquid. We loved it! This will be a staple in our house.
I’ve been making this recipe for years and it’s a family favorite. It makes a huge pot and it’s good for leftovers and freezes well. Plus it just seems super healthy. I don’t actually know if it is, but I like to think that it is.
It smelled great while cooking but it calls for too much turmeric, made it taste bitter. I added extra lemon to neutralize the turmeric but it is just too potent. Otherwise it would have been delicious.
Excellent,and so easy. I love the rich flavors, and if you prefer to make it without chicken I can attest that it’s still a rich entree (I doubled the chickpeas and lentils).
Made this two nights ago. Easy to follow recipe, very little prep time and it was AMAZING!!!
Wholesome and flavourful ingredients in this recipe make for the perfect meal! Definitely adding it to our monthly meal rotation!
The first time that I made this was at my mother’s house for her. She was battling cancer and never hungry. My thought was that the ingredients that make up this dish might be healthy eating for her, if I could urge her to try some. Let me tell you, the smells that this dish creates while cooking would make anyone hungry. She ate a good portion, my sil who was there at the time also loved it and started making it once a week for her own family, and I make it often too. Even my picky husband, who claims to hate chickpeas and lentils, likes it. I’ll be making it for a movie party this weekend; it’s that good and flavorful. And in case you wondered my 86 year old mother has been in remission for 5 years.