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Algerian · Maghrebi

Rechta

Non-vegetarian

رشتة · Rechta

Thin homemade noodles steamed and served under a delicate white broth of chicken, chickpeas and turnips scented with cinnamon. A festive dish from Algiers and Constantine.

Rechta is an Algerian main course, ready in about 2 hours 45 minutes and made with all-purpose flour, chicken pieces, skin-on and cinnamon. It serves 6 and is rated advanced to cook.

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Prep
1 h
Cook
1 h 15 min
Rest
30 min
Total
2 h 45 min
Serves
6
Level
Advanced
Calories
763

Ingredients

6 servings

For the noodles

For the broth

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Knead the flour, salt and water into a firm, smooth dough. Rest it covered.

    • 10 min
    Hands kneading dough on a floured surface
    How it looks · Photo: Klaus Nielsen on Pexels

  2. Step 2

    Put the chicken, onion (opens in a new tab), cinnamon (opens in a new tab), pepper (opens in a new tab), salt and olive oil (opens in a new tab) in a large pot and fry gently for 5 minutes, then add the water and bring to a simmer. Cook covered for 30 minutes.

    Food safety: Wash hands and surfaces after handling raw chicken.

    Onions frying golden in a pan
    How it looks · Photo: Magda Ehlers on Pexels

  3. Step 3

    Roll the dough very thinly, dust with flour, cut into strips about 3 mm wide and toss with the oil so they do not stick.

  4. Step 4

    Add the turnips (opens in a new tab), chickpeas (opens in a new tab) and zucchini (opens in a new tab) to the broth. Steam the noodles over the simmering broth for 15 minutes, tip out, sprinkle with a little broth and separate, then steam 15 minutes more and toss with the butter (opens in a new tab).

    Food safety: Chicken must reach 74 °C in the thickest part.

  5. Step 5

    Pile the noodles in deep plates, top with chicken and vegetables and ladle over plenty of broth.

    • 3 min

About this dish

Origin
Algiers and Constantine, Algeria · Well documentedMore food from Algeria
Dish
Lunch · Dinner · Main courses · Noodles
Cooking method
Simmered, Steamed
Taste
mild, aromatic / warmly spiced, savoury, peppery
Diet
No nut ingredients · High-protein
All labelsNon-vegetarian · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · High-protein
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Festive & celebration
Cook more with
All-purpose flour · Chicken pieces, skin-on · Cinnamon · Butter · Onion · Turnip
Techniques
Simmering · Steaming · Kneading

Allergens

  • Contains: Milkfrom butter
  • Contains: Wheatfrom all-purpose flour
  • Contains: Glutenfrom all-purpose flour

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

763 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 719 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 20%
  • Carbohydrate 35%
  • Fat 45%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy763 kcal106 kcal
Protein38.5 g5.4 g
Carbohydrate66.1 g9.2 g
Net carbohydrate60 g8.3 g
Sugars4.9 g0.7 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre6.1 g0.9 g
Fat37.5 g5.2 g
Saturated fat10.2 g1.4 g
Trans fat——
Cholesterol123 mg17 mg
Sodium1062 mg148 mg
Salt equivalent2.7 g0.4 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
556 mg
Calcium
112 mg
Iron
5.2 mg
Magnesium
72 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
96 µg
Vitamin C
16 mg
Vitamin D
0.3 µg
Vitamin B12
0.5 µg
Folate (DFE)
235 µg

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: zucchini.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Shop-bought thin fresh pasta or vermicelli can stand in for homemade noodles on a weeknight.

Common mistakes

  • Rolling the noodle dough too thick — rechta should be fine and delicate.

Serve with

  • Serve the extra broth alongside in a jug.

Storage

  • Keep broth and noodles separately in the fridge for 2 days.

Reheating

  • Steam the noodles and reheat the broth until piping hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

The liquid foundation

For the broth

Used in steps 1, 2, 4

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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