Chicken Freekeh Paella

Freekeh is wheat that’s harvested while young and green and then roasted. Once cooked, it retains a satisfying chew and has a distinct smoky flavour. Hands-on time 20min. Cooking time about 1½hr. Serves 4

500ml (17fl oz) hot chicken stock Pinch saffron, optional 1tbsp olive oil 4 chicken thigh fillets, sliced 1 onion, finely chopped 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1tbsp sweet smoked paprika 2 red peppers, deseeded and sliced 200g (7oz) freekeh 200g (7oz) green beans, trimmed 200g (7oz) cherry tomatoes Large handful parsley, chopped Lemon wedges, to serve

1 Infuse the chicken stock with the saffron, if using. Heat the oil in a large, deep frying or paella pan over a high heat, and brown the chicken pieces all over. Transfer the browned chicken to a bowl and set aside. Lower the heat slightly and fry the onion for 5-10min, until softened, then add the garlic, paprika and peppers and fry for 5min more.

2 Return the chicken to the pan with the freekeh and beans, then stir in the stock and plenty of seasoning. Cover and simmer for 45-50min, adding the tomatoes for the final 15min cooking time, keeping pan covered. When cooked, the liquid should be absorbed and the freekeh tender (it will retain a slight bite). Stir through the parsley, check the seasoning and serve with lemon wedges.

PER SERVING 434cals, 30g protein, 14g fat (3g saturates), 42g carbs (8g total sugars), 10g fibre