1
Build the white sauce
Brown chicken lightly in oil and smen, then add onions, cinnamon, pepper, salt, and enough water to cover.
sauce base
15:00
Algeria | Main dish
Rechta Algeroise
Algerian hand-cut noodles served with chicken, turnips, chickpeas, cinnamon, and a pale onion broth.
Country
Algeria
Region
North Africa
Time
105 min
Serves
6
Level
medium
Recipe overview
What to know before you cook
Rechta is one of Algiers' ceremonial noodle dishes, prized for its fine strands, white sauce, chickpeas, turnips, and gentle spice. It is usually cooked for family gatherings, Eid tables, weddings, and long Sunday meals.
What the dish tastes like
Algerian hand-cut noodles served with chicken, turnips, chickpeas, cinnamon, and a pale onion broth.
When to cook it
Best for Best for Eid, family Sundays, and winter lunches., with a medium cooking level and about 105 minutes total.
What to serve alongside it
Extra broth, lemon, harissa, or a crisp cucumber salad.
Regional lane
Algeria national table. A verified Algeria dish in the AfroKitchen archive.
Chef watch-outs
- Rushing the base before the raw edge has cooked out.
- Adding all seasoning early and forgetting to adjust at the end.
- Cooking on heat that is too high once the dish should be steaming or simmering.
How you know it is ready
- The aroma should smell rounded rather than raw or sharp.
- Oil, sauce, broth, or steam should look settled and deliberate.
- The final texture should match the dish style before you plate it.
Recipe photos
See the dish before you cook
Each recipe supports one main image and up to four extra prep, serving, or step photos when they are available.
Chef board
Build the table around Rechta Algeroise
Extra broth, lemon, harissa, or a crisp cucumber salad.
Best route from here
Algeria national table
Collections to keep cooking
How to cook it
Step-by-step method
Keep the rhythm calm, watch the texture, and adjust seasoning at the end.
4 steps
105 min total
medium
2
Simmer the chicken
Add chickpeas and cook until the chicken is nearly tender and the broth tastes sweet from the onions.
simmer
35:00
3
Steam the noodles
Rub noodles with a little oil and steam over the broth. Fluff, moisten with broth, and steam again.
steam noodles
25:00
4
Finish with turnips
Add turnips to the broth and simmer until tender, then serve noodles soaked with broth and topped with chicken.
finish
20:00
Algiers versions keep the sauce pale with onion, cinnamon, chickpeas, and turnips, while some households add courgette, potato, or meatballs.