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Moroccan Seffa Medfouna with Chicken and Almonds

Annahita Carter
Tender saffron-spiced chicken is tucked under a mound of sweet, buttery vermicelli, then topped with toasted almonds, cinnamon, and powdered sugar for a classic Moroccan sweet-savory centerpiece.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Moroccan
Servings 4 servings
Calories 720 kcal

Equipment

  • Wide heavy pot or Dutch oven
  • Small skillet
  • Large heatproof bowl
  • Fine-mesh sieve
  • Steamer basket
  • Clean kitchen towel or parchment (to line steamer)
  • Forks (for fluffing)
  • Serving platter

Ingredients
  

For the chicken and sauce

  • 600 g bone-in chicken pieces thighs and drumsticks work best; remove excess skin if very fatty
  • 2 medium yellow onions finely sliced or minced (about 350 g / 12 oz)
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 20 g unsalted butter for richness in the sauce
  • 2 garlic cloves finely minced
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp ground turmeric or a pinch of saffron threads, crumbled
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon for the savory-sweet base
  • 3/4 tsp fine sea salt plus more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 500 ml water or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 40 g golden raisins or sultanas
  • 1-2 tbsp honey to finish the sauce; adjust to taste

For the vermicelli "seffa"

  • 300 g fine vermicelli or angel hair pasta broken into 3–4 cm (1–1.5 inch) pieces if not already short
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil sunflower, canola, or vegetable
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
  • 30 g unsalted butter
  • 60-80 ml water plus more as needed for steaming or fluffing

For the almond, cinnamon, and sugar topping

  • 100 g whole blanched almonds or regular whole almonds with skins
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil for frying/toasting almonds
  • 30 g powdered sugar (icing sugar) plus more to taste
  • 1-1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon divided (for garnish; additional cinnamon is used earlier in the sauce)

Instructions
 

  • Season and sear the chicken: Pat chicken dry and season lightly with a pinch of salt and pepper. In a wide heavy pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat and sear chicken 3–4 minutes per side until lightly golden.
  • Soften onions and bloom spices: Push chicken to the edges. Add butter and onions to the center and cook 8–10 minutes, stirring and scraping browned bits, until onions are soft and translucent. Stir in garlic, ground ginger, turmeric or saffron, ground cinnamon, remaining salt, and black pepper; cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
  • Simmer until tender: Add water or broth, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 30–40 minutes, turning chicken once or twice, until very tender.
  • Add raisins and finish sauce: Stir in raisins and simmer uncovered 5–10 minutes to plump and reduce slightly. Taste and stir in 1–2 tablespoons honey to your preferred sweetness; keep a warm, spoonable sauce (add a splash of hot water if it reduces too much before chicken is tender).
  • Toast almonds: If almonds have skins, cover with boiling water 3–4 minutes, drain, and rub in a towel to remove skins; pat dry. Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a small skillet over medium, toast almonds 4–6 minutes, stirring constantly, until golden. Transfer to a plate to cool.
  • Chop almonds: Once cool, coarsely chop or crush almonds into irregular pieces for crunch. Set aside.
  • Oil vermicelli: Place broken vermicelli in a large heatproof bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon neutral oil and toss until lightly coated to prevent clumping.
  • Soften briefly and drain: Cover vermicelli with just enough boiling water to submerge; let sit 2–3 minutes until softened but still very firm. Drain in a fine-mesh sieve.
  • Season and steam: Return vermicelli to the bowl, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 60 ml (1/4 cup) water, and toss. Set a steamer basket over simmering water, line with a clean towel or perforated parchment, add vermicelli in a loose pile, cover, and steam 10–15 minutes over medium heat.
  • Fluff with butter: Tip steamed vermicelli back into the bowl. Dot with 30 g (2 tablespoons) butter; if dry, drizzle with another 2–3 tablespoons water. Fluff gently with two forks until butter melts and strands separate. Taste and adjust salt.
  • Make cinnamon sugar: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar with about 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Reserve remaining cinnamon for an extra dusting if desired.
  • Reduce sauce if needed: Before assembling, check the chicken sauce. If thin, remove chicken to a plate, boil sauce a few minutes until glossy and spoonable, then return chicken and spoon sauce over to keep moist.
  • Build the base: Spread about half the vermicelli on a large serving platter into a loose mound. Make a shallow well in the center with a higher rim around the edges.
  • Bury the chicken: Arrange chicken and most of the onions and raisins in the well. Spoon a few tablespoons sauce over the chicken without flooding the plate; reserve a little sauce for serving.
  • Dome and garnish: Cover with remaining vermicelli, shaping into a dome so chicken is hidden. Decorate with chopped toasted almonds and dust generously with cinnamon sugar; add a final light dusting of plain cinnamon if you like. Assemble just before serving so the vermicelli stays fluffy.

Nutrition

Calories: 720kcalCarbohydrates: 84gProtein: 40gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 780mgPotassium: 760mgFiber: 4.5gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 220IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 4.2mg
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