Chicken Fatayer is a Middle-Eastern meat pie recipe that has fillings of chicken, bell pepper, and different spices. This is considered our Arabian version of an empanada.
If you visit Arab countries, you will find in most street food stalls and restaurants they sell fatayer. This meat pie is usually eaten during breakfast, snacks, or sometimes dinner. If you tried an empanada, then I promise you will find this food delicious.
When you go to the food places, you will know there are different kinds of fatayer. You can choose meat, vegetarian or cheese pie. If you followed my food blog, you will know I have already made spinach fatayer, and cheese fatayer
Now in this blog post, I will like to share with you a Middle Eastern meat pie called chicken fatayer, which is a flavorful pie that is rich in different spices.
Recipe Ingredient for the Chicken Fillings
For the recipe ingredient of the chicken fatayer, I use different spices, vegetables and other important stuff needed:
- Meat: I am using a boneless chicken breast. Make sure you sliced them into smaller pieces so it can fit inside the pie
- Vegetables: I am using bell pepper and carrot
- Spices: I use cardamom, black pepper, cumin, coriander and turmeric
- Mozzarella cheese:
- Mayonnaise: This is not traditional, but in my experience, this is one important condiment that will make the chicken fillings moist and tasty.
Recipe Ingredient for the Dough
To make the dough, it is basically the same ingredients when making spinach fatayer, cheese pide, pizza and most bread recipes:
- All Purpose Flour
- Yeast
- Sugar and Salt
- Water
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Step by Step Instruction
To cook Chicken Fatayer, there are 3 things to do: Making the Dough; Cooking the Chicken Fillings, and Assembling the Fatayer.
I. Making the Dough
To make the dough, you first mix water, brown sugar, and yeast. And then transfer into the bowl together with the flour and salt. Mix everything, and then add olive oil.
Continue mixing, followed by kneading for several minutes until it forms a nice fluffy dough. Cover it and set aside for 1 hour till double in size.
II. Cooking the Chicken Fillings
To make the chicken fatayer fillings, I add olive oil to the pan. Once hot, add the garlic and onion and stir till it turns translucent. After that, I add the chicken breasts and let them cook till there are fewer juices followed by adding the bell peppers.
Next, I add the spices, grated carrots, and mayonnaise. I stir to mix one more time before turning off the heat.
III. Assembling the Chicken Fatayer
In this part, I divide the dough into 12 pieces and shape each of them into a ball. To make sure it grows, I cover it with a towel for 10 minutes.
In each dough, I use the rolling pin to make it into an oval-shaped dough, and I stuff it with chicken fillings (estimate how much you want) and mozzarella cheese. After that, I pinch them together in the center to close the edge of the dough.
Now turn to the opposite side, and push it down to form a flat bun-like bread. Next, I transfer the meat pie into the tray, brushed it with egg yolk, and added sesame seeds.
Lastly, transfer it into the oven and let it bake for 10 to 12 minutes at 200 C or 390 F. In my experience, this will be enough to turn into a golden brown. And you are done.
Notes:
- Just make sure there are no holes or any opening, or else if you baked it, the fatayer will open. If it does happen, don't over-add chicken fillings.
Frequently Asked Question
1. Can I add other cheese if I don't have mozzarella cheese?
You can use cheddar cheese if you like
2. How long can it last in the fridge or freezer?
You can store in the fridge for up to 7 days, but I don't advise in the freezer because the bread will turn soggy because of the moisture from the ice.
3. Are there any healthier variation for this recipe?
Instead of all purpose flour, you can use whole wheat flour which is healthier since it is rich in fiber
Other Related Recipes
Here are other related Middle Eastern Dough that are delicious:
Chicken Fatayer Recipe
Ingredients
Making the Dough
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon yeast
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Making the Chicken Fillings
- 400 grams boneless chicken breast, chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1 cup red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves grated garlic
- ¼ teaspoon cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ⅓ teaspoon cumin powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Other Ingredients
- 100 gram Mozzarella Cheese
- ½ cup sesame seeds
- 1 egg yolk
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Mix warm water, brown sugar and yeast in a glass. Mix to stir
- Add all purpose flour and salt into the large bowl. Pour the Yeast-water mixture. Stir gently.
- Pour extra virgin olive oil, and continue stirring. Use your hand to knead until it becomes elastic and fluffy.
- Cover with a plastic or towel and set aside for 1 hour, in room temperature, to double in size.
Cooking the Chicken Fillings
- Add olive oil in the pan. Once hot, add grated garlic followed by red onion. Stir till it turns translucent.
- Add chopped boneless chicken breast. Stir to mix and let it cook till there is less juice
- Add chopped bell pepper. Stir to mix.
- Once the bell pepper is cooked (becoming a bit soft), add the spices. Stir gently.
- Add grated carrots and mayonnaise. Mix to combine.
- Once already cooked, turn off the heat. Set aside.
Assembling the Fatayer
- Once the dough grew in size, divide it in 12 pieces. Shape each of them into a ball
- Use the rolling pin to make into an oval shaped dough.
- Stuff it with chicken fillings followed by shredded mozzarella cheese
- Pinch the edge together in the center to close the dough
- Turn to the opposite side, and push it down to form into a flat bun-like bread
- Put the fatayer into the tray. Brush the dough with egg yolk and add sesame seeds on it.
- Preheat the oven in 200 C or 390 F. Transfer into the oven and let it bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Cook longer if you prefer dark golden brown.
- Cool it down before serving
Notes
- If you don't have mozzarella cheese, you can use cheddar cheese.
- The amount of stuffing depends on you. But, avoid overstuffing it to prevent the bread breaking when baking.
I love empanadas, but wow this might be my new favourite! First time I made fatayers, but I was really impressed. The spices in the filling were so good, I think cardamom was absolutely delicious in it! Thanks for the recipe!
What a fantastic recipe! I love learning about new dishes on your site, and these chicken fatayer are so tasty! Thanks for your detailed instructions, too. Another winner!
Absolutely delicious! You MUST try this recipe!!
This is so good! My kids even gobbled it up. Flavored perfectly. Thanks my new favorite way to make chicken!
I have never had this before, but you had me at Arabian empanada. I love the addition of the mozzarella cheese for some cheesy goodness.