Description
Msmen Filled with Chicken is a flavorful Moroccan stuffed flatbread recipe featuring seasoned chicken thighs combined with aromatic spices and cheese, encased in a flaky, layered dough. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, these stuffed flatbreads are perfect as a snack, appetizer, or main dish served warm.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 500 g flour
- 275 ml water
- 12 g honey
- 6 g baking powder
- 7 g salt
- 5 ml sunflower oil
Filling
- 550 g chicken thighs, diced
- 220 g yellow onion, finely chopped
- 10 ml olive oil
- 5 g ras el hanout
- 4 g salt
- 3 g garlic powder
- 3 g cayenne powder
- 2 g turmeric powder
- 1 g dried parsley
- Cheese, to taste
For Cooking
- Sunflower oil, for cooking
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix water and honey until dissolved, then pour into the flour well along with sunflower oil. Mix until a rough dough forms.
- Knead the dough: Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and rest for 30 minutes to relax the gluten and make rolling easier.
- Cook the filling: Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add finely chopped onions and cook for 3–4 minutes until translucent. Add diced chicken thighs and season with ras el hanout, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, turmeric, and dried parsley. Cook for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is golden and fully cooked through. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool.
- Divide and rest dough: Divide the rested dough into 6 equal balls. Cover and let them rest again for 1 hour to develop elasticity and flavor.
- Shape and layer dough: On a lightly oiled surface, roll each dough ball out thinly. Brush the rolled dough with sunflower oil, then fold it into a square shape to create layered dough typical of Msmen.
- Fill and seal Msmen: Place a portion of the cooled chicken filling and cheese in the center of each dough square. Fold and seal the edges carefully to fully encase the filling, forming a stuffed flatbread.
- Cook the Msmen: Heat a lightly oiled skillet (preferably nonstick or cast iron) over medium heat. Cook each stuffed Msmen for 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and crispy on the outside and heated through inside.
- Serve warm: Serve the Msmen warm, optionally paired with mint tea or a spicy side like harissa for an authentic Moroccan experience.
Notes
- Serve warm with mint tea or a side of harissa for a true Moroccan touch.
- Perfect for meal prep or sharing with friends.
- Ensure the chicken filling is cooled before filling the dough to prevent tearing or sogginess.
- Use a nonstick or well-seasoned skillet to achieve a nice crisp exterior without sticking.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Msmen (approx. 1/6 of recipe)
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
