Syrian Chicken Fatteh

This Chicken Fatteh is a popular Arabic dish that comes from the Arabic word “crumbs” referring to a genre of Middle Eastern foods where the torn up leftover stale bread  is typically used in its simplest form. Fatteh originates from the levant and can usually be made with chicken, beef, eggplant, just chickpeas, with or without rice. 

Chicken fatteh consists of three layers. The base of shredded bread soaked in stock, middle layer of the main ingredient and finally a yogurt and tahini sauce topping. Bread can be used fresh in some types of fatteh and fried in others. The middle layer could be one of many. Chickpeas, chicken, stuffed aubergines. Sometimes they fry the bread and a fourth layer of cooked rice is added. 

Ingredients: 

Arabic bread 3 standard size (small) 

Chicken legs 4 

Chicken stock 500mls 

Onion cut into quarters 

Yogurt 500 g 

Tahini 4 tbs 

Garlic 2-3 cloves 

Lemon 

Salt 

Pepper 

Parsley chopped 4 tbs 

Pine nuts 

Paprika 

Preparation:  

– Start by cooking the chicken and making your stock. Wash the chicken legs, cover with water and bring to boil skimming the surface till totally clear. Add the onion and Salt and pepper, turn down the heat and let simmer slowly for 45 – 60 min. put cloves and two cardamoms. When cooked, remove the chicken and let cool down. Strain your stock and return to very low heat till you are ready to use it. 

– Shred your Arabic bread into one inch pieces. 

– Remove the chicken meat from the bone and shred to bite size. 

– Add yogurt, tahini, crushed garlic, squeeze of lemon and salt and mix together to make your topping. 

– To make the dish, put the bread and the chicken in a deep bowl. Add one third of the yoghurt sauce and the stock and mix together. Spoon the rest of the yogurt topping and spread evenly on top. 

Garnish with parsley, roasted pine nuts and paprika and serve immediately.

Lara Khouli