Algerian dish Chtitha Djedj with chicken leg quarters & chickpeas garnished with chopped parsley

Algerian Chtitha Djedj – The Odehlicious

Chtitha Djedj is an Algerian dish consisting of chickpeas & hen, which is cooked in tomato sauce flavored with totally different spices corresponding to cumin, turmeric, and paprika. This dish is usually served & eaten with couscous or bread.

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Algerian meals is one in every of my favourite North African cuisines since they’re just like Center Japanese meals. It’s wealthy in herbs and spices, which makes the dish mouthwatering. On this recipe, I made a Chtitha Djedj, which is analogous to Algerian Chakhchoukha besides it would not include semolina bread.

The phrase “Chtitha” comes from an Arabic phrase that means “Dance” whereas “Djedj” is an Arabic that means “Hen” in English.

Why it is best to do this recipe?

Chtitha Djedj is a scrumptious hen dish since it’s wealthy in herbs and spices. The flavour is additional enhanced when sauteing the onion, garlic, and bell pepper. It has a gentle spiciness from the purple candy pepper I added on the stew which may be non-obligatory if you’re not a fan of it.
It’s also wholesome and nutritious since chickpeas and hen include excessive protein. Moreover, chickpeas have a excessive supply of fiber which is good for digestion.

Recipe Components

Hen: I’m utilizing 3 items of Hen Leg quarters since they’re tender and juicy in comparison with the breast half.

Chickpeas: I’m utilizing dry garbanzo beans that I soaked in a single day, after which boiled for half-hour to make it delicate.

Spices: So as to add taste to my dish, I take advantage of cumin, turmeric, and paprika.

Greens & Herbs: To present a flavorful stew, I take advantage of purple onion, garlic, ginger, bell pepper, and parsley. Along with that, I take advantage of purple candy pepper so as to add spiciness to my dish.

Tomato Paste: This can add purple colours to my Algerian hen stew dish.

Different Components: The remaining I take advantage of salt & black pepper for seasoning; olive oil to saute the greens & hen; and water for the stew.

Substitution Suggestion: You should use harissa paste so as to add spiciness as an alternative of purple candy pepper.

Cooking Algerian Hen

To cook dinner Chtitha Djedj, I added olive oil to the pan and sautéed the onion, garlic, and ginger earlier than including the chopped bell pepper. Subsequent, I added the hen and let it pan-fry for a couple of minutes.

After that, I added the tomato paste so as to add purple coloration and the spices for taste to my hen, which I gave a fast stir earlier than pouring within the water. As soon as it began to boil, I added the chickpeas and chopped parsley, gently mixing to stir, and letting it simmer for half-hour or till the hen is cooked. In fact, I added salt and black pepper for style.

Lastly, I turned off the warmth when the hen and transferred the hen into the baking pan, which I then broil for 5-10 minutes to brown the meat. This will give a pleasant crispy texture on the skin however delicate on the within. For serving, I added the chickpeas together with the tomato stew on the plate earlier than putting the hen on prime of it. In fact, I added extra chopped parsley for garnish and that is it.

What do you serve this with?

Historically, we serve this both with couscous, rice, or bread. If you do not have couscous, you possibly can serve this with scrumptious Arabic vermicelli rice which goes completely nicely with it.

If you’re into bread, you need to use the Algerian Kesra bread or any pita bread like Kuboos. Lastly, for each North African or Center Japanese Hen Stew, I all the time serve it with salad which I prefer to serve with my Moroccan Tabbouleh Salad.

Often Requested Query

1. Can I take advantage of canned chickpeas or garbanzo beans as an alternative of the dry beans?
You should use the canned chickpeas, however it will likely be greatest so as to add it 5 minutes earlier than you are finished simmering the hen. That’s as a result of the chickpeas are so delicate that they’ll flip into mushy texture.

2. How lengthy can it final within the fridge?
As lengthy you retailer it in an hermetic container, it’s secure to devour for as much as 5 days.

3. Can I make my Chtitha Djedj vegan-friendly?
Sure, you may make it vegan-friendly by changing hen with tofu or any soy meat.

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