Chicken and Lentil Rfissa

Tender chicken falling off the bone, served over shredded msemmen bread soaked in a fragrant broth. The powerful aroma of fenugreek and saffron defines this bold dish.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 75 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 1418
• Protein: 81 g
• Carbs: 116 g
• Fat: 63 g

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg Chicken thigh ( cut into pieces )
• 4 piece Onion ( finely sliced )
• 150 g Green lentil ( rinsed )
• 1 tbsp fenugreek ( whole seeds )
• 40 g Minimum butter sweet ( cold )
• 50 ml Extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp Ginger ground
• 1 tbsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp Ras el hanout
• 1 pinch Saffron
• 1 piece Coriander ( tied bunch )
• 1 piece Parsley ( tied bunch )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 8 piece Msemmen or Trid bread ( cut into pieces and steamed )

Instructions

1. Marinate and sear the chicken

   Mix ginger, turmeric, ras-el-hanout, saffron, and olive oil. Coat the chicken. In a large pot, sear the chicken pieces until the skin is well browned.

2. Sweat the onions

   Add the sliced onions and butter. Sweat without browning until they are translucent and melting.

3. Start the broth

   Add the fenugreek, green lentils, and the tied bunch of parsley and coriander. Pour in 1.5 liters of water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat.

4. Simmer slowly

   Cover and simmer for about 1 hour. The meat should pull away from the bone and lentils should be tender but not mushy. The broth should be rich.

5. Final plating

   Place the msemmen pieces in a large dish. Generously soak them with the hot broth. Top with the chicken, lentils, and onions.

Chef's tips

• Fenugreek is the soul of this dish, but its flavor is strong: don't add more if you're not familiar with it.
• If the broth reduces too much, add a bit of hot water during cooking to ensure you have enough sauce for the bread.
• The msemmen should be shredded by hand into irregular pieces to better catch the sauce.

Storage

Store the broth and chicken separately from the bread. Reheat over low heat in the pot.