Fatteh is a Lebanese layered dish, criminally underknown outside the Middle East: crispy pita on the bottom, poached chicken and chickpeas in the middle, under a garlicky yogurt sauce.
Fatteh is a dish that deserves far more recognition than it gets outside of Lebanon. It is a layered assembly of crispy toasted pita, tender poached chicken, warm chickpeas. A cold garlicky yogurt sauce poured over everything, finished with pine nuts toasted in spiced butter and a dusting of sumac. Every bite gives you something different: crunch from the pita, creaminess from the yogurt, warmth from the cumin-spiked butter. A citrusy tang from the sumac cuts through the richness of the butter and yogurt. Timing matters with fatteh because the pita needs to be crispy when you eat it, and it starts softening the moment the yogurt hits.
Assemble everything right before serving and bring it to the table immediately. Poach the chicken gently rather than boiling it hard, because a rolling boil turns breast meat stringy and dry. There’s nothing tricky about it. The poaching liquid does double duty: use some of it to warm the chickpeas so they absorb that savory flavor instead of just sitting there bland. This feeds a crowd, looks impressive on a big platter. Most of the components can be prepped ahead. We fought over the last plate of this, politely.
Poaching the Chicken and Toasting Pita
Place the chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with salted water. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and poach for fifteen to eighteen minutes until cooked through. The water should barely bubble. Remove the chicken, let it rest for five minutes, then shred into large pieces. Reserve half a cup of the poaching liquid. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Toss the torn pita pieces with olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Toast for eight to ten minutes until golden and crispy.
Making the Yogurt Sauce
In a bowl, whisk together the plain yogurt, finely grated garlic, lemon juice, and salt until smooth. The sauce should be thick but pourable. If it’s too thick, add a tablespoon of water. Warm the chickpeas in a small saucepan with the reserved poaching liquid and a pinch of salt. Keep them warm until assembly.
Assembling and Finishing
Spread the crispy toasted pita in the bottom of a large serving dish. Spoon the chickpeas and their liquid over the pita. Layer the shredded chicken on top. Pour the yogurt sauce over everything, covering the chicken and chickpeas. In a small skillet, toast the pine nuts in the butter until golden. Stir in the cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne. Drizzle the spiced butter and pine nuts over the yogurt. Finish with chopped parsley and a generous sprinkle of sumac. Serve immediately.
Print
Lebanese Chicken Fatteh
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Description
Crispy toasted pita on the bottom, poached chicken and chickpeas in the middle, and a garlicky yogurt sauce poured over everything, finished with toasted pine nuts and a drizzle of spiced butter. Lebanese, criminally underknown outside the Middle East.
Instructions
- Place the chicken breasts in a saucepan and cover with salted water. Bring to a gentle simmer and poach 15 to 18 minutes until cooked through. Remove, let rest 5 minutes, then shred into large pieces. Reserve 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss the pita pieces with olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Toast 8 to 10 minutes until golden and crispy.
- Warm the chickpeas in a small saucepan with the reserved poaching liquid and a pinch of salt.
- Make the yogurt sauce: whisk together yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, and salt until smooth.
- Assemble the fatteh: spread the toasted pita in a serving dish. Spoon the chickpeas and their liquid over the pita. Layer the shredded chicken on top. Pour the yogurt sauce over everything.
- Toast the pine nuts in the butter in a small skillet until golden. Stir in cumin, paprika, and cayenne. Drizzle the spiced butter and pine nuts over the yogurt. Finish with parsley and sumac.
Notes
- Poaching the chicken gently rather than boiling keeps it tender and moist — a rolling boil makes it stringy and tough.
- Assemble the fatteh right before serving. The pita needs to be crispy on the bottom, and it softens fast once the yogurt hits it.
- Sumac adds a citrusy tartness that is essential to the flavor profile. Do not skip it — there is no real substitute.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Lebanese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 560
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 740
- Fat: 26
- Carbohydrates: 36
- Fiber: 4
- Protein: 44
- Cholesterol: 100
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes, but you’ll miss out on the flavorful poaching liquid. If using rotisserie chicken, use warm chicken broth to heat the chickpeas instead.
What is sumac?
Sumac is a Middle Eastern spice made from ground sumac berries. It has a tart, lemony flavor that’s essential to many Lebanese dishes. You can find it at Middle Eastern grocery stores or online.
Can I make any components ahead?
You can poach the chicken and make the yogurt sauce a day ahead, but the dish must be assembled right before serving. The pita loses its crunch quickly once the yogurt is added.