Egyptian Molokhia with Chicken and Garlic Taqleya
Molokhia is made by adding minced jute mallow leaves to boiling chicken broth and stirring for two minutes only, then pouring over a sizzling taqleya of garlic and dried coriander. The key is not to let it boil for more than a minute after the taqleya goes in, or it separates and loses its green.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Calories
- 310
Molokhia has almost nothing in it and is still one of the easiest dishes to get wrong. The difference between molokhia that works and molokhia that splits is a single minute on the heat — and that is exactly what this recipe pins down.
الوصفة بالفيديو 2:26 min
Method
-
1
Cook the chicken
Simmer the chicken with the onion, bay leaves, cardamom and salt until cooked through, skimming the foam as soon as it rises. Lift out the chicken and strain the broth — you want about a litre and a half of clear stock.
⏱ 40 min -
2
Bring the broth up
Return the strained broth to the heat and bring it to a hard boil, then check the seasoning.
⏱ 5 min -
3
Add the molokhia
Stir in the minced molokhia and hold it over medium heat for two minutes only — do not let it come back to a violent boil.
⏱ 3 min -
4
The taqleya
In a small pan, heat the ghee and fry the crushed garlic until golden, add the coriander and chilli and stir for twenty seconds, then pour the whole thing into the molokhia while it is still on the heat. You'll hear it gasp.
⏱ 3 min -
5
Off the heat
Stir once, give it a minute, and take it off immediately. Serve with rice, browned chicken and onion in vinegar on the side.
⏱ 2 min
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Tips that actually matter
- Don't thaw frozen molokhia all the way — add it half-frozen so it doesn't need long in the pot.
- The dried coriander goes in seconds after the garlic; if it burns, the whole dish turns bitter.
- For a thicker result, use one litre of broth instead of one and a half.
People also ask
Why did my molokhia separate?
Too much boiling after the taqleya went in. Give it no more than a minute after you pour it over, then take the pot off the heat.
Can I make it with beef stock?
Yes, and it gives a heavier, richer result. Same method exactly — just add one more cardamom pod.
How long does it keep?
Two days in the fridge, a month in the freezer. Reheat gently without boiling so the texture survives.
Cook mode
Egyptian Molokhia with Chicken and Garlic Taqleya
-
1
Cook the chicken
Simmer the chicken with the onion, bay leaves, cardamom and salt until cooked through, skimming the foam as soon as it rises. Lift out the chicken and strain the broth — you want about a litre and a half of clear stock.
-
2
Bring the broth up
Return the strained broth to the heat and bring it to a hard boil, then check the seasoning.
-
3
Add the molokhia
Stir in the minced molokhia and hold it over medium heat for two minutes only — do not let it come back to a violent boil.
-
4
The taqleya
In a small pan, heat the ghee and fry the crushed garlic until golden, add the coriander and chilli and stir for twenty seconds, then pour the whole thing into the molokhia while it is still on the heat. You'll hear it gasp.
-
5
Off the heat
Stir once, give it a minute, and take it off immediately. Serve with rice, browned chicken and onion in vinegar on the side.
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