Name: Delicious Moroccan Msemen with Chicken Filling: A Perfect Ramadan Treat 🌙
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Cuisine: Moroccan
Ingredients: 500g all-purpose flour; 7g salt (1⅙ teaspoon); 12g honey; 275ml lukewarm water; 6g baking powder; 5ml sunflower oil (plus extra for stretching); 220g yellow onion (1½ yellow onions), chopped; 550g chicken thighs, finely chopped; 5g ras el hanout (1⅔ teaspoon); 2g turmeric powder (⅔ teaspoon); 3g cayenne powder (1 teaspoon); 3g garlic powder (1 teaspoon); 4g salt (⅔ teaspoon) for filling; 1g dried parsley (1 teaspoon); Cheese slices; Olive oil for cooking

Jump to Recipe

There’s something truly special about biting into a warm, flaky msemen filled with flavorful chicken and melted cheese. This traditional Moroccan flatbread is a staple during Ramadan celebrations, particularly for iftar meals when breaking the fast. Today, I’m excited to share my favorite recipe for chicken-filled msemen that will impress your family and friends! 😊

What is Msemen?

Msemen (also called rghaif) is a traditional Moroccan square-shaped flatbread that’s known for its delicate, flaky layers. While plain msemen is often served with honey or jam for breakfast, filled versions like this chicken msemen make for a substantial and satisfying meal any time of day. During Ramadan, msemen becomes particularly popular as a filling option to break the fast.

Why You’ll Love This Chicken Msemen Recipe

What makes this chicken msemen truly special is the combination of tender dough with a richly spiced chicken filling. The dough achieves that perfect balance of being sturdy enough to hold the filling while maintaining those signature flaky layers that msemen is known for. The chicken mixture, seasoned with authentic Moroccan spices like ras el hanout, creates a wonderfully aromatic and flavorful experience. And who could resist the added cheese that melts beautifully when cooked? 🧀

The Recipe: Chicken-Filled Msemen

Ingredients

For the Msemen Dough:

500g all-purpose flour
7g salt (1⅙ teaspoon)
12g honey
275ml lukewarm water
6g baking powder
5ml sunflower oil

For the Chicken Mixture:

220g yellow onion (1½ yellow onions)
550g chicken thighs
5g ras el hanout (1⅔ teaspoon)
2g turmeric powder (⅔ teaspoon)
3g cayenne powder (1 teaspoon)
3g garlic powder (1 teaspoon)
4g salt (⅔ teaspoon)
1g dried parsley (1 teaspoon)

Extra:

Cheese slices
Oil for stretching and cooking the msemen

Instructions

Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the honey and lukewarm water. Mix thoroughly for 10-12 minutes until you achieve a smooth dough. Add the sunflower oil and continue kneading for another minute. Cover the dough and allow it to rest for 30 minutes.
Make the chicken filling: Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the chopped yellow onions and sauté for 3-4 minutes until translucent. Add the finely chopped chicken thighs along with ras el hanout, turmeric powder, cayenne powder, garlic powder, and salt. Cook for 6-7 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked. Stir in the dried parsley and mix well. Set aside and allow the chicken mixture to cool completely.
Divide and shape the dough: Once rested, divide the dough into 9 equal pieces (about 85g each) and shape them into balls. Grease your hands with oil.
Stretch the dough: Flatten each dough ball on an oiled work surface (use about 25ml oil). Cover and let rest for another 30 minutes. After resting, grease your work surface again (about 15ml oil per msemen) and place a dough ball on it. Using your fingertips, gently stretch the dough from the center outward until you have a very thin sheet, approximately 38 x 33 cm. Keep oiling your hands regularly to prevent tearing.
Fill the msemen: Use a pizza cutter to make 4 small cuts around the edges of the stretched dough to make folding easier, essentially dividing the dough into three sections. Place a slice of cheese on the dough and top with a portion of the chicken mixture.
Fold and cook: Fold the dough from left to right to enclose the filling. Place the filled msemen on a sheet of parchment paper. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and cook the msemen until golden brown and fully cooked on both sides.

Serving Your Chicken Msemen

These chicken-filled msemen are absolutely delicious when served hot, straight from the pan when the cheese is still melty and the exterior is crisp. During Ramadan, msemen makes for an excellent iftar dish to break the fast, providing a satisfying combination of carbohydrates and protein.

You can serve your msemen with a simple side salad or alongside a bowl of harira soup, another Moroccan Ramadan tradition. A mint tea complements the flavors perfectly! 🍵

Tips For Perfect Msemen Every Time

Resting time matters: Don’t skip the resting periods for the dough, as this allows the gluten to relax and makes stretching much easier.
Oil is your friend: Be generous with the oil when stretching the msemen dough—it helps achieve those signature flaky layers.
Cool the filling completely: Make sure your chicken mixture has cooled before filling the msemen to prevent the dough from becoming soggy.
Adjust the spice level: The cayenne in this msemen recipe can be adjusted according to your preference for heat.

Msemen with chicken filling represents the perfect combination of traditional Moroccan bread-making techniques with flavorful ingredients. Whether you’re preparing for Ramadan 2025 or simply looking to explore Moroccan cuisine, this chicken msemen recipe is sure to become a favorite! 😊