Fattet Djaj — Lebanese Chicken, Rice, and Pita with Tahini Yogurt

Place the whole chicken in a pot, cover with 2 liters of cold water, and bring slowly to a simmer over medium heat. Patiently skim off the gray foam that gathers on the surface; if it remains, the rice cooking liquid will be cloudy.

Once the foam stops forming, add the halved onion, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, allspice berries, cardamom, and salt. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting; the water should not boil vigorously. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching the bone. Do not remove the chicken until it reaches 74°C / 165°F.

Remove the chicken and strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer. Skim the fat from the surface with the back of a ladle. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and shred the meat into strands with your fingers; do not cut it into cubes, as the chicken in fatteh should remain in strands.

Melt the butter in a pot and toast the vermicelli until golden brown. Add the rinsed rice and stir for 2 minutes. Pour in hot chicken broth equal to twice the volume of the rice. Once it boils, cover and cook over the lowest heat for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

Tear the stale pita into 3 cm pieces by hand; do not cut it with a knife, since the ragged edges create more surface area for crisping. Heat the oil to 175°C / 345°F and fry the pieces in batches for 40–60 seconds, until golden. Transfer to a wire rack.

Pound the garlic with a pinch of salt in a mortar, then whisk in the strained yogurt, tahini, and lemon juice until smooth. The sauce should fall slowly from a spoon; if it is too thick, thin it with two spoonfuls of chicken broth. Toast the pine nuts in butter until golden and keep them warm in the skillet.

Spread the crisp pita pieces on a wide serving platter, then layer the hot rice and shredded chicken on top. Spoon the tahini yogurt over everything. Pour the toasted pine nuts and hot butter into the center while they are still sizzling. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and sumac, then serve immediately.