Moroccan Rfissa with Chicken
Shredded chicken layered with crispy fried dough (msemen or phyllo) and finished with a fragrant onion sauce and toasted almonds. A beloved Moroccan comfort dish ready in 30 minutes.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 620
- Protein
- 42g
Ingredients
- ¾ lb chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
- 2 whole onions, large
- 6 sheets phyllo dough or msemen sheets
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- 1 teaspoon ginger, ground
- ¼ teaspoon saffron threads
Instructions
- 1
Place chicken thighs in a medium pot and cover with water until the meat is fully submerged by 1 inch.
- 2
Bring water to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 12 minutes until chicken is fully cooked through and easily shreds with a fork.
- 3
Remove chicken from broth and set it on a cutting board to cool for 2 minutes, then use two forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces.
- 4
Slice both onions lengthwise from root to tip into thin half-moons, about 1/8 inch thick, so the pieces stay connected at the root.
- 5
Pour 3 tablespoons of olive oil into a large skillet and heat over medium until it shimmers and slides quickly when you tilt the pan, about 60 seconds.
- 6
Add the sliced onions to the hot oil and stir with a wooden spoon to coat them evenly.
- 7
Cook the onions over medium heat, stirring once every 45 seconds, for 12 minutes until they turn golden brown and feel very soft when pressed with the spoon.
- 8
Sprinkle the ground ginger and saffron threads over the onions, then stir for 20 seconds until the spices smell strongly fragrant and coat the onions evenly.
- 9
Add the shredded chicken to the skillet and stir gently for 30 seconds to warm it through and blend it with the onion mixture.
- 10
Pour 0.5 cup of the reserved chicken broth into the skillet and stir once, then remove from heat.
- 11
Heat a separate 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, then lay one phyllo sheet flat in the dry pan.
- 12
Cook the phyllo for 90 seconds until the bottom edges begin to curl and turn light golden, then flip it and cook the other side for 60 seconds until crispy and golden all over.
- 13
Slide the cooked phyllo sheet onto a plate, then repeat the cooking process with the remaining 5 sheets, stacking them on top of one another as they finish.
- 14
Scatter the sliced almonds into the dry phyllo skillet over medium heat and stir constantly for 2 minutes until they turn golden brown and smell nutty.
- 15
Break the stacked phyllo sheets into bite-sized pieces with your hands and layer them in the bottom of two shallow bowls.
- 16
Spoon the warm chicken and onion mixture over the phyllo pieces, then scatter the toasted almonds on top in a single layer.
Tools you’ll need
- medium pot
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- two forks
- large skillet (10-inch or wider)
- wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- 10-inch nonstick skillet
- measuring spoons
- measuring cups
- two shallow bowls
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