Serves 4

All Armenian cooks have their own way of making chicken with bulgur. Many versions call for poached chicken (villagers are using barnyard birds, which need little adornment). The bulgur is made with crushed, browned vermicelli and then mixed with cooked chickpeas. A woman I met in Armenia told me that she adds all kinds of nontraditional elements to her dish and a favorite is caramelized onions and plenty of herbs. Make all the components separately: bulgur, chickpeas, caramelized onions, and chicken, which is roasted here. Heat them together in a baking dish. In Middle Eastern shops in this region, bulgur is marked with numbers to indicate the coarseness. For pilaf, buy number 3. Allow time for the chickpeas to soak overnight.

BULGUR

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup crushed vermicelli noodles

1 cup Number 3 bulgur

2 cups water

Pinch of salt

1. In a heavy-based saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the noodles and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until they start to brown. Stir in the bulgur and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes more or until it starts to toast.

2. Pour in the water and salt. Bring to a boil, cover the pan, and cook for 10 minutes without removing the lid. Turn off the heat and let the bulgur sit for 10 minutes without disturbing it.

3. Remove the lid and fluff the bulgur with a fork. If there is liquid in the bottom of the pan, recover and set aside for 5 minutes more or until the bulgur absorbs all the liquid.

CHICKPEAS

½ cup dried chickpeas

Salt, to taste

1. In a bowl, combine the chickpeas with water to cover. Leave to soak overnight.

2. Drain the chickpeas and transfer to a saucepan. Add water to cover and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Simmer for 25 to 45 minutes (timing depends on the age of the peas; start tasting at 25 minutes). Drain; do not rinse.

3. Stir the chickpeas into the bulgur.

ONIONS

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 Spanish onions, halved and thinly sliced

Salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add the onions, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until the onions release their juices.

2. Turn up the heat and continue cooking, stirring often, for 20 minutes or until the onions are very tender and golden.

CHICKEN

1 whole chicken (3 1/2 pounds) or 3 1/2 pounds cut-up chicken

Olive oil (for sprinkling)

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons each chopped fresh parsley, dill, oregano

1. Set the oven at 400 degrees. Have on hand a roasting pan and a deep 12-inch baking dish.

2. Rub the chicken skin all over with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Transfer to the roasting pan.

2. Roast the whole chicken for 45 minutes; roast the chicken pieces for 35 minutes. (The chicken may not be completely cooked through.)

3. Turn the oven temperature down to 350 degrees.

4. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. Cut the whole chicken into 8 pieces. If the chicken pieces are large, cut them in half.

5. Sprinkle the baking dish with a little olive oil. Add the bulgur and with a fork spread it out. Set the chicken on top and scatter the caramelized onions on it. Cover loosely with foil.

6. Return the chicken to the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the chicken thighs registers 180 degrees and the bulgur and onions are hot. Sprinkle with the herb mixture.

SHERYL JULIAN