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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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 and it has almost all evaporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Drizzle the flatbreads with the yogurt and sprinkle with the herbs and chili. Serve with the salad.

Last modified: July 31, 2021