Fatteh Djej (Chicken Fatteh with Rice, Yoghurt and Pine Nuts)

Ingredients

• 600 g chicken thigh fillets
• 1 onion
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 pitta breads
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 250 g basmati rice
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 400 g tinned chickpeas
• 500 ml natural yoghurt
• 2 garlic cloves
• 20 g butter
• 40 g pine nuts

Method

1. 1

   Put the chicken thigh fillets in a pan with the halved onion, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, 1 tsp salt and 900ml water. Bring to the boil, skim and simmer for 20 minutes until cooked through with no pink remaining. Lift out the chicken, shred it and strain the broth.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200C (180C fan, gas 6). Tear the pitta breads into pieces, toss with the olive oil and bake for 8-10 minutes until crisp.

3. 3

   Rinse the basmati rice and put it in a pan with 500ml of the strained broth and the allspice. Bring to the boil, cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes, then leave covered off the heat for 5 minutes.

4. 4

   Warm the drained chickpeas in 150ml of the broth for 5 minutes. Whisk the natural yoghurt with the crushed garlic and ½ tsp salt. Fry the pine nuts in the butter for 2-3 minutes until golden.

5. 5

   Spread the crisp pitta in a wide dish and splash with a little hot broth. Layer on the rice, chickpeas and chicken, spoon over the yoghurt and finish with the pine nuts and their butter. Serve straight away.