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Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Chtitha djaj with bread

Chtitha djaj is an Algerian chicken stew with chickpeas, simmered in a tomato sauce seasoned with garlic, cumin and chili. It serves 4, takes 55 minutes, stays easy to make, and costs about €2.30 per person. The trick is adding the garlic in two batches, so you keep both its sweetness and its sharp bite.

Tonight, it's chtitha djaj, chicken simmered in a spiced red sauce with garlic, cumin and chickpeas, and bread to mop it all up.

Chtitha djaj with bread
Total time
55 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€2.30
Calories per person
570 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

Chtitha djaj is the kind of dish that fills the whole kitchen with warmth while it simmers away. The chicken turns tender in a thick tomato sauce seasoned with cumin, chili and paprika, while the chickpeas add body to every spoonful. Raw garlic stirred in at the end wakes everything back up, and the bread is there to scrape every last bit of sauce from the plate.

This is a weeknight dish that barely needs watching once it's simmering, perfect for evenings when you get home late but still want something warm and comforting. Kids tend to like it too, especially if you go easy on the chili at first and let everyone adjust their own plate afterward.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 6

Pantry

  • Cooked chickpeasoften in the pantry 250 g
  • Tomato pasteoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Ground cuminoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Chili powderoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Garlic 6 cloves
  • Onion 2
  • Fresh cilantro 1 sprigs

Bakery

  • Round bread 1

Allergens Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Brown the chicken in a pot with the oil, then set it aside. 10 min

    Don't move the meat around too much, it needs to form a good crust.

  2. Sauté the chopped onion with half the garlic, then add the tomato paste, cumin, chili, paprika, salt and pepper. 8 min

    Cook until the oil starts to separate and rise to the surface.

  3. Put the chicken back in, cover halfway with water and add the chickpeas.

    Keep the sauce a bit thin for now, it reduces as it cooks.

  4. Let it simmer covered over low heat until the chicken is tender. 30 min

    Lift the lid for the last ten minutes so the sauce thickens.

  5. Add the remaining crushed garlic and chopped cilantro, then serve with the bread.

    Garlic added at the end keeps all of its bite.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick chicken thighs over breasts, they stay juicy even after a long covered simmer.
  • Crush the garlic rather than mincing it, so it melts completely into the sauce without leaving stringy bits.
  • If the sauce is still too thin at the end, simmer uncovered a few extra minutes instead of reaching for flour.

The variations

  • Swap the chickpeas for frozen peas for a milder version that kids often take to more easily.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken and double the chickpeas, cutting the simmer time down a bit.
  • To save time, use boneless thighs, which cut the simmer down to about 20 minutes instead of 30.

What to serve it with

  • Round or flatbread for mopping up sauce
  • Plain couscous on the side
  • Fresh tomato and cucumber salad

Storage

Chtitha djaj keeps for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. It freezes well for up to 2 months, without the bread. Reheat gently in a pan or saucepan, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you use chicken breasts instead of thighs?

You can, but breasts dry out faster during a long simmer. If you use them, cut the simmering time in half and check doneness often.

Can you make chtitha djaj ahead of time?

Yes, it's even better reheated the next day, once the flavors have had time to settle together. Make it the day before and warm it gently before serving.

Why add the garlic in two batches?

The first half, cooked for a long time, softens into the sauce and flavors it gently. The second half, added raw at the end, keeps its sharp bite and fresh aroma.

Can you use dried chickpeas instead of cooked ones?

Yes, but soak them overnight and cook them for about 1 hour before adding them to the pot. Canned chickpeas stay the simpler choice for a weeknight.

How long does it take to make a chtitha djaj with bread?

Count 55 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a chtitha djaj with bread?

About 570 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chtitha djaj with bread cost?

About €2.30 per serving, or €9.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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