Chicken Fatteh is a delicious recipe that consists of layers of bread soaked in chicken broth flavored with garlic and lemon juice, then topped off with rice, tender chicken, and sprinkled with crunchy toasted almonds and pine nuts.
It is a satisfying meal often served as a main dish, accompanied by plain yogurt, cucumber yogurt salad, or basic salad.
Chicken fatteh, or fattet dajaj in Arabic, is one of my family's favorite weekend meals, where we all used to gather around the table and each scoop from the large rounded platter.
My mother used to make this dish on a Sunday when my dad was off from work so we can sit and eat this meal together. This dish is served in a large rounded serving plate/tray and once prepped it has to be served.
My memories of this dish were that my late father loved to sit on the veranda (a glass sun room) on a cold winter sunny day, and we all sit around a small table bundled up in our small veranda warmed by the sun coming through the glass windows, enjoying this delicious meal. This dish brings so many fun memories.
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What is Fatteh?
Fatteh is a popular Middle Eastern dish that typically consists of layers of bread, topped with various ingredients such as meat, vegetables, legumes, yogurt, and spices. It is commonly served as a main course.
The word fatteh translates to "crumbs” or "broken pieces" in Arabic, referring to the use of bread in the dish. The bread is either toasted or fried until crispy or soaked with broth mixed in garlic and lemon juice. Normally, bread is the base layer of any fatteh dish.
To assemble fatteh, the bread is placed at the bottom of a serving dish, followed by the chosen toppings such as meat, vegetables, or legumes. Then sprinkle with toasted nuts.
There are different variations of fatteh including eggplant fatteh, and the most popular vegetarian option is hummus fatteh, a favorite to many.
Fatteh offers a harmonious combination of textures and flavors, making it a satisfying and delicious meal option.
Equipment
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Pots – to boil chicken and for making rice.
Round shape or oval platter for serving fatteh.
Ingredients
- Chicken breast: Either bone-in (skin removed) or boneless chicken works well with this recipe.
- Chicken broth – Chicken broth is important because will be using it to soak and flavor the bread.
- Cardamom seeds, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves - Used with boiling chicken, which helps give flavor to the broth.
- Short-grain rice – I prefer to use short-grain rice with this recipe (Cal rose or Egyptian rice brands).
- Flatbread – Any type of flatbread can work.
- Garlic Cloves – Garlic gives this recipe a great flavor.
- Lemon juice – Lemon juice gives a tangy taste to the broth once mixed with the bread.
- Sea salt
- Almonds and pine nuts – Add a crunchy texture to the entire dish.
Instructions
Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1 | In a medium pot, cover chicken with water until submerged, add bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and cardamom seeds. Once it starts boiling remove any extra foam on top, and let it boil on medium heat for 20-30 minutes and until the chicken is fully cooked.
Step 2 | Let chicken cool until it's safe to touch. Remove bones, and shred chicken into small pieces.
Step 3 | Cut bread into bite-sized pieces and lightly toast them.
Step 4 | Pour chicken broth (¼-1/2 cup), crushed garlic, lemon juice, and salt over bread.
Step 5 | Mix everything well and layer at the bottom of a platter.
Step 6 | Layer rice on top of the bread, then layer shredded chicken on top of the rice.
Step 7 | Sprinkle toasted almonds and pine nuts and serve.
What to Serve it With?
It's highly recommended to serve this dish with plain whole-milk yogurt, you can also serve it with cucumber yogurt salad, or basic salad.
Substitution and Variation
- You can use French baguette instead of flatbread.
- You can use boneless chicken breasts.
- You can use rotisserie chicken or any leftover chicken that you already have.
Pro Tips
- When boiling chicken, I like to boil it first with water only, cover the chicken with water, and once it starts boiling get rid of that water, then add fresh water, the spices, and let it cook following instructions.
- While you can prepare all the ingredients ahead of time, it’s best to layer everything just before serving.
- Make sure chicken broth is hot, bread needs to be soaked and not crunchy with this recipe.
- Mix the garlic, salt, and lemon with the broth before adding them to the bread. Any extra can be used on top of the chicken for extra flavor.
- Be generous with lemon when mixed with the soaked bread, that's where all the flavors come from.
- Toast pine nuts under a broiler for 2-4 minutes, or in a skillet heat neutral or olive oil and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
STORAGE AND REHEATING
- Since the bread includes garlic, leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days only.
- To reheat, place in a skillet, add 1-2 tablespoons of water cover, and let it heat over medium heat for 7-10 minutes, or you can heat in the microwave.
FAQ
The flavor of this recipe is all in the bread that is soaked and mixed with lemon and garlic. If you prefer to skip the bread, you can use the lemon garlic mixture with the rice and/or pour over the chicken on top.
You can certainly do that, but keep in mind that you’d need chicken broth for juicing the bread which brings the essential taste to this dish, in that case, you can either boil one piece of chicken and bake the rest or use a previously made chicken broth.
I like to use short-grain or Egyptian rice with this recipe. But you can use basmati, or whatever rice you like.
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More Delicious Recipes
Chicken Fatteh
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner/Lunch
- Method: Stove
- Cuisine: Palestinian
- Diet: Halal
Description
Chicken Fatteh is a delicious recipe that consists of layers of bread soaked in chicken broth flavored with garlic and lemon juice, then topped off with rice, tender chicken, and sprinkled with crunchy toasted almonds and pine nuts.
Ingredients
- 2 breast chicken with bones
- 3-4 cups of tap water
- 2 cardamom seeds
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup rice
- 1-2 flatbread lightly toasted and cut into small pieces
- 4-5 cloves of garlic
- 2-3 juice of fresh lemons
- ½ sea salt
- ¼ cup toasted pine nuts and/or almonds
Instructions
To cook the chicken:
- In a medium pot, cover chicken with water until submerged about 3-4 cups tap water. Add bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and cardamom seeds.
- Once it starts boiling remove any extra foam on top, and let it boil on medium heat for 20-30 minutes and until the chicken is fully cooked.
- Let chicken cool until it's safe to touch, remove bones, and shred chicken into small pieces.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice separately.
To make rice:
- Soak 1 cup of rice for about 10 minutes, then drain and rinse.
- In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil or butter, add rice, and ¼ teaspoon of salt, then add 1 cup of boiled water, and stir it.
- Cover, and reduce heat to low, let it simmer for about 10-15 minutes.
To assemble:
- Cut bread into bite-sized pieces and lightly toast them.
- Pour chicken broth, crushed garlic, lemon juice, and salt over bread.
- Mix everything well and layer at the bottom of a platter.
- Layer rice on top of the bread, then spread the shredded chicken on top of the rice.
- Sprinkle toasted almonds and pine nuts.
Notes
- When boiling chicken, I like to boil it first with water only, cover the chicken with water, and once it starts boiling get rid of that water, then add fresh water, the spices, and let it cook following instructions.
- While you can prepare all the ingredients ahead of time, it’s best to layer everything just before serving.
- Make sure chicken broth is hot, bread needs to be soaked and not crunchy with this recipe.
- Mix the garlic, salt, and lemon with the broth before adding them to the bread. Any extra can be used on top of the chicken for extra flavor.
- Be generous with lemon when mixed with the soaked bread, that's where all the flavors come from.
- Toast pine nuts under a broiler for 2-4 minutes, or in a skillet heat neutral or olive oil and sauté for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent burning.
Amal Gamoney says
I soon as see it I went to the store and purchased the ingredient and ready to cook dinner ?
Wafa Shami says
Great Amal, I hope it turned out good and the family liked it -:)
Rima says
Love your recipes
Wafa Shami says
Great, thank you Rima!
Nelly Saad says
Love your recipes please continue, thanks...
Wafa Shami says
Great, I'm glad, thank you so much, Nelly!
Dee Covic says
Thank you for such a beautiful recipe Wafa! Chicken Fatteh was delicious! I look forward to trying many more of your beautiful traditional dishes.
Free Palestine 🇵🇸
Ceasefire Now 🕊️
Wafa Shami says
Hi Dee, glad to hear you enjoyed it. Thanks for the feedback and the support. Free Palestine.
Axel says
What are the red spices Used in the illustration?
Wafa Shami says
Smoked paprika.
Axel says
Thank you 🙂
I'll make it today
Wafa Shami says
Great, I hope you'll enjoy it. Please keep in mind the smoked paprika is not part of the ingredients, and it's optional.