This Middle Eastern homemade flatbread is topped with spiced minced chicken, hot chilies, and zingy herbs and served with a fresh chicken and pomegranate salad.
Ingredients
For the flatbread
- a drizzle vegetable oil, for greasing
- 400g/14oz type ‘00’ plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 100g/3½oz semolina flour
- 1½ tsp caster sugar
- ½ tsp flaked sea salt
- 7g sachet fast-action yeast
- 325ml/11fl oz warm water
For the topping
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground baharat spice mix
- 500g/1lb 2oz chicken mince
- 75g/21/2oz sultanas
- 300ml/10fl oz chicken stock
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 250g/9oz natural yogurt
- 4 tbsp fresh mint leaves
- 4 tbsp fresh coriander leaves
- 2 green chillies, finely chopped
For the salad
- 2 chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
- 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1 tbsp runny honey
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 2 heads baby gem lettuce, leaves shredded
- 1 avocado, pitted and sliced
- 1 pomegranate, seeds only
- 1 tbsp roughly torn fresh coriander
- 1 tbsp roughly torn fresh mint
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp runny honey
Method
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Prepare the flatbread dough the day before you want to cook the bread. Lightly grease a baking tray with oil. Mix the plain flour, semolina flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Mix the yeast with a little of the warm water in a jug until you have a paste, then stir in the remaining water until the yeast has dissolved. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the yeasted water. Slowly work the flour into the water until all of it is incorporated and you have a soft dough.
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Lightly dust a work surface with plain flour. Knead the dough on the surface until it is smooth and elastic. Divide the dough into four equal-sized pieces and roll each into a ball. Put the balls on the prepared baking tray, cover with a loose sheet of cling film or a clean tea towel, and leave in the fridge for 24 hours, or until doubled in size.
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When you are ready to cook, start with the salad. Preheat the oven to 180C/Fan 160/Gas 4. Put the chicken thighs in a deep baking tray. Mix together the molasses, honey, and olive oil in a bowl, then drizzle over the thighs. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and leave until cool enough to handle, then skin the chicken, shred it into strips, and put it in a large bowl. Turn the oven up to its highest setting.
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While the chicken cooks, make the flatbread topping. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and spices and fry for 1-2 minutes, or until softened. Add the chicken mince, increase the heat to high and fry for 4-5 minutes, breaking up the mince with a spoon and stirring often, until browned all over. Add the sultanas and stock and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender has almost all evaporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.
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Put a heavy baking tray or pizza stone in the oven to heat up. Lightly dust a work surface with flour. Roll each piece of dough out on the surface into an oval roughly 20x15cm/8x6in, and about 0.5cm/¼in thick.
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Spread the chicken mixture onto the dough bases and transfer the flatbreads, in batches if necessary, to the baking tray or pizza stone. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the bases are golden-brown and crisp.
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Meanwhile, finish the salad. Add the lettuce, avocado, pomegranate seeds, and herbs to the bowl with the chicken. In a separate small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, and honey. Just before serving, add the dressing to the salad.
