Rfissa (Moroccan Chicken and Lentils over Shredded Flatbread)
Local name: الرفيسة
In short: Chicken simmered in a fragrant onion and fenugreek sauce, served over torn flatbread and lentils. A comforting dish for Moroccan celebrations. It takes about 2 h 20 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 1 h 40 min
- Resting
- 1 h
- Total
- 2 h 20 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 840 kcal
Rfissa is a dish for gatherings, served on a big platter and eaten with the hands. Torn pieces of flatbread are soaked in a broth of onions, fenugreek and warm spices, topped with lentils and tender chicken, then drenched with more sauce. Fenugreek gives it a faintly bitter, maple-like aroma that is unmistakable. Many Moroccan families make it for births, weddings and religious holidays, and it is traditionally shared from a single dish.
Instructions
- Put the chicken, onions, oil, butter, ras el hanout, ginger, turmeric, pepper, saffron, fenugreek and salt in a large pot. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring, until the onions soften.
- Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 45 minutes, until the chicken is tender and reaches 74°C (165°F).
- Meanwhile, cook the lentils in a separate pan of boiling water for 25 minutes, until tender, then drain.
- Lift out the chicken and keep it warm. Add the lentils to the pot and simmer the sauce uncovered for 20 minutes, until the onions are very soft and the sauce thickens slightly.
- Put the torn flatbread in a large shallow dish. Ladle about 250 ml (1 cup) of the hot sauce over it and toss gently until the bread absorbs the liquid and turns tender but not mushy.
- Pile the chicken on the bread. Spoon the lentils and onion sauce over the top, scatter with cilantro and serve with extra sauce in a bowl.
Tips
- Paratha and other flaky flatbreads work well when msemen is hard to find. Toast them in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 5 minutes first so they hold their texture under the sauce.
- Start with 2 tsp of fenugreek seeds if you have not cooked with them before, since too much tastes bitter. Discard the soaking water.
Questions and answers
What does rfissa taste like?
It is savory and aromatic, with soft bread soaking up a sauce of sweet onions, warm spices and the faintly bitter, maple-like note of fenugreek. The lentils add an earthy depth.
Can I make rfissa ahead?
Make the chicken, lentils and sauce up to 2 days ahead and reheat them. Soak the bread in the hot sauce just before serving so it does not turn mushy.
What can I use instead of msemen?
Torn paratha, thin flaky flatbread or any thin layered bread works. Use whatever you can find that soaks up sauce without falling apart.
How long does it take to make Rfissa (Moroccan Chicken and Lentils over Shredded Flatbread)?
About 2 h 20 min in total: 40 min of preparation and 1 h 40 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Rfissa (Moroccan Chicken and Lentils over Shredded Flatbread)?
About 840 kcal per serving, with 44 g of protein, 57 g of carbohydrates and 47 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 840 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 44 g |
| Carbohydrates | 57 g |
| Fat | 47 g |
| Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 1300 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
