Fattet Jaj (Chicken with Crispy Pita, Warmed Yogurt and Rice)

Today I’m sharing Fattet Jaj, or Chicken with Crispy Pita, Warmed Yogurt and Rice.

This dish is easily one of my favorites. Spiced chicken pieces are made into a broth before layering on top of crunchy pita chips, tangy, garlicky yogurt and fluffy rice mixed with seasoned ground meat. No waste here: the fragrant broth is poured over the fatteh. When you hover over your bowl, you’re smacked with the scent of cinnamon, 7 spices and cardamom before biting into the layers. The toppings of scallions, parsley, fried garlic, its oil and pomegranate seeds punctuate every bite. I can literally eat it everyday.

Fatteh means “crushed” or “crumbed,” referring to the pita chips that make up the bottom layer. There are all sorts of different fatteh: fattet hummus with chickpeas, fattet makdous with baby eggplants, fattet lahmeh with meat, and so much more. This category of food might look complicated because of its many components, but in reality, every part can be prepared ahead of time, making assembly before serving super simple.

Syrians love to pack all of the exciting textural and nutritional components in one meal. The people of Homs, my parents’ hometown, are the only ones to make their fattet jaj with hearty rice. When my husband came over to my parents’ house for dinner early on in our relationship, he saw my mother adding the unique ingredient, and he told her, “Fattet jaj isn’t supposed to have rice.” Can you imagine?? My husband trying to tell my mom, who’s been cooking for decades and comes from a long line of excellent cooks, how to prepare this beloved meal. She kindly smiled and said, “We make it with rice.”

He’s since learned a thing or two about how things are “supposed” to be.

I hope you give this recipe a try! If you do, don’t forget to put it in the comments to let everyone know how it worked out. I also love to see your creations! Tag my on Instagram at @omayah.atassi and #omayahcooks.

Pieces of shredded chicken sit on top of layers of crispy pita, garlicky yogurt, rice mixed with spiced ground meat and chicken broth. It’s everything you need in a meal, just about any time of day. All components can be prepared ahead before assembly or while the chicken broth is simmering.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

Chicken & Broth:
1 chicken, cut into pieces, skin removed
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp 7 spices
2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp safflower (optional)
1 cinnamon stick
2 pieces cardamom

Rice & Meat:
1 c short grain rice, soaked for at least 1 hour
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
250 g/.5 lb ground beef or lamb
1 tsp 7 spices
2 tsp salt, divided
1/2 tsp black pepper

Bread & Yogurt:
2 thick pita rounds, cut into 1-inch triangles
2 tbsp vegetable oil
600 g labneh
2 garlic cloves
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp lemon juice, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste

Garlic and Aleppo Pepper Garlic Oil
1 head garlic, smashed
1 c vegetable oil
2 Tbsp Aleppo or Turkish pepper paste

Topping:
1/4 c toasted pine nuts
1/4 c chopped parsley
3 scallions, chopped
1/4 c pomegranate seeds

Instructions:

Add the chicken, onion and spices in a large pot over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until chicken is browned and spices are fragrant. Cover, reduce to low and cook for 30 minutes. Add enough water to cover the chicken, bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Cook until falling off the bone, about 1 more hour and set aside. Adjust broth seasoning, remove the chicken with a slotted spoon, shred the meat and set aside.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare the remaining ingredients. Add ground meat to a large skillet set over high heat. Cook, stirring constantly in order to break up the meat, until dry and brown all the way through. Add 1/2 tsp salt, black pepper and 7 spices. Set aside.
Rinse the rice by swishing it around in a container filled with water and draining in a colander. Repeat 3-5 times, or until the water runs clear. Set aside for about 30 seconds to dry.
Set a medium stockpot over high heat. Add vegetable oil and heat until shimmering. Add the rice and stir constantly until translucent. Add 1 c + 2 Tbsp water and 1.5 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to the lowest setting until water is completely dry and rice is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
Add desired amount of cooked ground meat to the rice (doesn’t have to be all of it) and reserve the rest in the fridge or freezer for later use.
Cook the pita rounds in the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crispy and golden. Set aside.
Combine the labneh and remaining ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. If your labneh is quite thick, add a bit of water until you reach desired consistency (you want it to easily coat the bread pieces). Adjust seasoning.
To make the fried garlic, prepare a fine mesh strainer set over a heat-proof medium sized bowl.
Add the smashed garlic and the oil to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until garlic begins to turn golden-yellow. Working quickly, drain the garlic in the prepared strainer. Add the pepper paste to the oil and stir.
Once the garlic is cool, transfer to an air-tight container. It can be kept in the fridge for several weeks. The Aleppo pepper garlic oil can be stored in a jar in the fridge for several months.
Rice/meat can be made up to 1 day ahead. Gently reheat before serving.
Bread can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in an air-tight container.
Chicken and broth can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Store separately in the fridge and reheat in the same pot before serving.
Yogurt can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead, keep at room temp.
To assemble, in a deep serving platter lay the pita crisps on the bottom of your serving plate. Add the labneh and toss to combine. Top with the rice mixture and then the chicken pieces.
Ladle enough broth until you see it start to peek through the rice. Top with fried garlic, Aleppo pepper garlic oil, toasted pine nuts, parsley, scallions and pomegranate. Serve immediately.