Roasted Chicken & Tomatoes with Cracked Wheat...

I love finding new things to use in the kitchen and of course love making up recipes. Now I know cracked wheat isn't new and I have had it before but for some reason I have never really cooked it. But when looking for some ingredients on a budget and not feeling like couscous, decided to give it a go.

For those who don't know what Cracked Wheat is - 'Cracked Wheat is a wheat product made from whole raw wheat kernels which are crushed or cut into smaller pieces.'
I personally think it is very similar to couscous but with a earthier flavour and is super easy to cook. Like rice it's 2 cups to 1 (2 cups of water to 1 cup of CW) A great store cupboard item.

It's fabulously filling and has a great texture. Taking on flavour like couscous would.

I used Cracked Wheat in this recipe but you can of course use rice or couscous, all cooked basically the same way.

Ingredients

5 -6 Chicken Thighs
Fresh Thyme
Cherry Tomatoes
Courgettes, sliced
Kale
Cracked Wheat
Chicken Stock
Salt and Pepper

Method

1. Brown your chicken thighs in a pan. Then transfer to a baking dish. Season, add your thyme and cherry tomatoes. Bake in the oven for 20 - 30 minutes depending on the size of the thighs. You want to make sure they are cooked through.
2. While the chicken is roasting get your cracked wheat on the go. Like rice, bring to the boil in the stock and then turn off the heat, cover and leave to steam and adsorb all the stock.
3. A few minutes before everything is ready to serve finely chop the kale and stir into the cracked wheat. It will cook in the heat. Then in another pan fry your sliced courgettes in a little salt, pepper and frylight.
4. Serve the chicken in a large serving dish with the cracked wheat underneath and top with the roasted tomatoes and courgettes. You want all the flavours of the chicken and vegetables to seep into the cracked wheat.

This is a lovely light dish and is actually really great cold the next day. Just pull any left over chicken off the bone and mix in with the left over cracked wheat and vegetables.

recipe - mine

Syns - free if skin is removed.