Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- Chicken & Broth: 1.5 lb bone-in chicken pieces; 6 cups water; 1 small onion; 1 bay leaf; 4 cardamom pods; 6 peppercorns; 1 small cinnamon stick; 1 tsp fine salt.
- Molokhia: 400 g frozen chopped molokhia; 5 cups hot chicken broth; 1/2–3/4 tsp salt to taste; black pepper (optional).
- Ta’leyya: 2 tbsp ghee; 6 garlic cloves, minced; 2 tsp ground coriander; pinch red pepper flakes (optional); juice of 1 lemon.
- Rice: 1 cup short-grain rice; 2 tbsp broken vermicelli; 1.5 cups water; 1 tbsp ghee; 1/2 tsp salt.
- Pita: 2 pitas; 2 tbsp olive oil; pinch salt.
- Serve: Lemon wedges; chopped cilantro (optional).
Do This
- 1. Simmer chicken with onion, bay, cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon, and salt in 6 cups water, 35–40 minutes; strain. Reserve 5 cups hot broth.
- 2. Cook rice: toast vermicelli in 1 tbsp ghee, add rice, 1.5 cups water, 1/2 tsp salt; simmer 12 minutes, rest 10 minutes.
- 3. Bake pita shards at 375°F (190°C) with 2 tbsp oil and salt for 8–10 minutes until deep golden.
- 4. Shred chicken; moisten with a ladle of hot broth.
- 5. Warm 5 cups broth; stir in frozen molokhia over low heat until melted, 3–5 minutes. Keep below a boil; season with salt.
- 6. Sizzle ta’leyya: ghee + garlic until pale gold, add coriander (and chili) 30 seconds; pour into molokhia, add lemon, adjust salt.
- 7. Bowl rice and chicken; ladle molokhia over; top with pita shards and lemon wedges.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic Egyptian comfort food: silky green molokhia, tender chicken, and aromatic garlic-coriander “ta’leyya.”
- Bright, balanced flavors—lemon wakes up the earthiness, and toasted pita adds irresistible crunch.
- Weeknight-friendly with frozen chopped molokhia and a straightforward stovetop broth.
- Flexible serving: ladle over rice or serve as a soup alongside rice and chicken.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 small onion, 1 lemon (plus extra for wedges), 6 garlic cloves, optional fresh cilantro, 400 g frozen chopped molokhia (jute leaves)
- Dairy: Ghee or butter (for rice and ta’leyya)
- Pantry: Bone-in chicken pieces, short-grain rice, vermicelli, pita bread, olive oil, bay leaf, whole cardamom pods, whole black peppercorns, small cinnamon stick, ground coriander, red pepper flakes (optional), fine sea salt, black pepper
Full Ingredients
Chicken & Broth
- 1.5 lb (680–750 g) bone-in chicken pieces (thighs/drumsticks)
- 6 cups (1.4 L) water
- 1 small onion, quartered
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 green cardamom pods, lightly cracked
- 6 whole black peppercorns
- 1 small cinnamon stick (about 2 inches/5 cm)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
Molokhia Base
- 400 g (14 oz) frozen finely chopped molokhia (jute mallow) leaves
- 5 cups strained hot chicken broth (from above)
- 1/2–3/4 tsp fine sea salt, to taste
- Pinch freshly ground black pepper (optional)
Garlic-Coriander Ta’leyya
- 2 tbsp ghee (or 1 tbsp ghee + 1 tbsp neutral oil)
- 6 large garlic cloves, very finely minced or grated to a paste
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
- Juice of 1 lemon, plus wedges for serving
Rice with Vermicelli
- 1 cup short-grain rice (Egyptian or Calrose), rinsed until the water runs mostly clear
- 2 tbsp broken vermicelli
- 1 tbsp ghee or butter
- 1.5 cups water
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
Crisp Pita Shards
- 2 pitas, cut into bite-sized triangles
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Pinch fine sea salt
To Finish
- Lemon wedges
- 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro (optional garnish)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Build a fragrant chicken broth
Add chicken, water, onion, bay leaf, cardamom, peppercorns, cinnamon, and salt to a medium pot. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, then immediately reduce to a low simmer. Skim any foam. Cook uncovered 35–40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and the thickest piece reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove chicken to a plate to cool slightly. Strain the broth; you should have about 5–6 cups. Keep 5 cups hot for the molokhia.
Step 2: Make the rice with vermicelli
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 1 tbsp ghee. Add broken vermicelli and stir constantly 2–3 minutes until deep golden. Stir in rinsed rice to coat. Add 1.5 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 12 minutes. Remove from heat and rest, covered, 10 minutes. Fluff before serving.
Step 3: Bake the crisp pita shards
Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Toss pita triangles with 2 tbsp olive oil and a pinch of salt on a sheet pan. Bake 8–10 minutes, stirring once, until evenly deep golden and crisp. Set aside.
Step 4: Shred and season the chicken
When cool enough to handle, shred or slice chicken into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones if you prefer. Moisten with a ladle of hot broth and a pinch of salt if needed. Keep warm.
Step 5: Gently melt the molokhia into broth
In a clean pot, bring 5 cups strained broth to a bare simmer. Add the frozen chopped molokhia. Reduce heat to low and stir or whisk gently as it thaws, 3–5 minutes, until fully dissolved and silky. Keep the mixture just below a boil—small bubbles at the edges only (about 180°F/82°C). Season with 1/2–3/4 tsp salt and a pinch of pepper. Do not let it rapidly boil, which can dull the color and texture.
Step 6: Sizzle the garlic-coriander ta’leyya
In a small skillet over medium-low heat, warm 2 tbsp ghee. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring, until pale golden and fragrant, 60–90 seconds. Sprinkle in ground coriander (and red pepper flakes if using) and cook 30–45 seconds more, until the coriander blooms and the garlic turns deep golden—do not burn. Immediately pour the sizzling ta’leyya into the hot molokhia; it should hiss. Stir once, squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon, taste, and adjust salt and lemon to your liking.
Step 7: Serve
Spoon rice into warm bowls, add the shredded chicken, and ladle the glossy molokhia over the top. Scatter with crisp pita shards. Garnish with cilantro if you like, and serve with extra lemon wedges for brightness.
Pro Tips
- Start broth in cold water and simmer gently for clearer, cleaner flavor; aggressive boiling clouds the stock.
- Molokhia should never hard-boil. Keep it just trembling at the edges for a silky, bright-green result.
- Cook garlic low and slow. Deep golden (not brown) garlic gives sweetness without bitterness.
- If the molokhia seems too thick, whisk in a splash of hot broth. If too mellow, add another squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt.
- Toast pita well—deeper color equals better crunch and a nutty flavor that stands up to the soup.
Variations
- Rabbit Molokhia: Replace chicken with 2–2.5 lb rabbit pieces. Simmer 60–70 minutes for a rich, traditional broth.
- Shrimp Molokhia (bel Gambari): Make a quick shell stock; stir in molokhia as directed, then add cleaned shrimp and poach 2–3 minutes at the end. Finish with ta’leyya and lemon.
- Vegetarian: Use a well-seasoned vegetable broth; add sautéed mushrooms for body. The ta’leyya and lemon still bring classic flavor.
- No Molokhia Nearby: Substitute chopped spinach and a little okra. The flavor is pleasant but the texture will differ.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerate molokhia, chicken, and rice separately in airtight containers. Molokhia keeps 3–4 days; reheat gently over low heat until steaming—do not boil. Chicken and rice keep 3 days. Crisp pita stores at room temperature, airtight, up to 2 days. Freeze molokhia (without lemon) up to 2 months; thaw overnight, reheat gently, then add fresh lemon. The broth and chicken can be made 1–2 days ahead; chill and remove the fat cap before reheating.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate: 580 kcal; 33 g protein; 22 g fat; 62 g carbohydrates; 4 g fiber; 980 mg sodium (varies with salt and broth). Calculations are estimates.
