Rfissa is among the most typical Moroccan foods

Rfissa is served during several traditional feasts

It is traditionally served with chicken and lentils and fenugreek seeds (tifiḍas in Amazigh, helba in Arabic), msemen, meloui or one-day bread, and the spice mixture ras el hanout. It is tradition to serve rfissa to a woman who has just given birth because fenugreek is said to be beneficial for women recovering from childbirth.

Rfissa is derived from tharid, a traditional Arabic meal believed to be the Prophet Muhammad's favorite.

This meal was not featured in Moroccan cookbooks until the 1990s. According to cultural historian Anny Gaul, this could be because rfissa is associated with rural culinary traditions, but cookbook writers have traditionally been Fesi elites.

Rfissa has historic Berber roots and is most commonly linked with the Fez region, a city famed for its lively culture and culinary traditions. This dish has been passed down from generation to generation, with each family adding their own distinctive twist to the recipe. Rfissa is traditionally produced for pleasant occasions such as weddings, births, and religious festivals, serving as a sign of community and happiness.

If you use a whole chicken, make careful to take it out of the broth after cooking to keep it from falling apart before the lentils, onions, and fenugreek complete stewing.

The chicken and lentil stew is quite simple to prepare, but plan ahead of time to marinade the chicken (ideally overnight) and soak the fenugreek. The dough can be formed while the chicken is stewing or many days before serving.

In Morocco, we can purchase shredded dough called msemen at local markets. That definitely saves time! Many cooks, however, prefer to prepare their own dough or msemen since it allows them more control over the quality of the components.

If you're going to serve rfissa on leftover bread or store-bought paratha bread, you don't need this prep time.
The shredded meat or dough can be stored in the freezer until needed. When it's time to serve, it's typically steamed in couscous before being assembled. Using leftover bread requires less preparation time.

Ingredients:

• 1 large chicken, either quartered or whole.
• 3 large onions, thinly sliced.
• 1/2 cup olive oil.
• 1 tablespoon salt.
• One tablespoon of pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger.
• 1 tbsp Ras el Hanout (or 1 1/2 tbsp msakhen).
• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric 

If preferred, knot the soaked and drained fenugreek seeds in a cheesecloth to keep them separate from the other ingredients in the saucepan.
The night before (or at least six hours before cooking), combine the chicken, onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, ginger, turmeric, saffron, and Ras el Hanout spices in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir to thoroughly coat the chicken, cover, and place in the refrigerator to marinate.

Cook the chicken and lentils.
Place the pot with the chicken on the stove over medium heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, covered, stirring regularly, until a thick sauce forms.

Combine the drained lentils, fenugreek seeds, parsley, cilantro, and water. Simmer, covered, for approximately an hour, or until the lentils are soft, and the chicken is thoroughly cooked. The saucepan should contain a rich, abundant broth. (If there isn't, add some water while cooking and taste to ensure that the seasoning isn't diluted.)
Taste the broth for salt, then add the smen, swirling the saucepan to combine. If preferred, take the chicken out of the saucepan and broil it for a few minutes to brown and crisp the skin.