Chicken Kabsa is an aromatic dish that features fragrant rice, tender browned chicken and a delightful blend of spices. A magnificent chicken and rice one-pot dish that will become your go-to recipe for special occasions and regular dinners.
What is Kabsa?
Kabsa is known as the national dish of Saudi Arabia. It is a delicious meal that balances exotic spices, succulent chicken, and aromatic rice, like zereshk polo (barberry rice with chicken) and chicken biryani.
In other parts of the Arabian peninsula, kabsa is also knows as machboos. The techniques of this chicken and rice dish seem to have originated in Yemen. And in Arabic, the word “kabsa” or “machboos” means “pressed”, which refers to the way it is cooked all together in one pot.
Years ago I had kabsa at a middle eastern friend's house and instantly fell in love with its taste. I was particularly intrigued by the use of grated carrots and its combination with tomatoes in this rice dish. Since then I've had it at some of the best restaurants in the middle east, and have tried and tweaked this recipe to my liking.
Why This Recipe
- A culinary masterpiece. The fluffy rice takes on bright colors and flavors from the tomatoes, carrots, and fragrant spices. The chicken is first cooked until tender and then nicely browned on the top, resulting in a mouthwatering combination of textures and flavors.
- Easy recipe using readily available ingredients. It can be made in one cooking pot and uses minimal equipment.
- Many cooking methods. You can cook it on stove top or in the oven. This can also be made in instant pot or slow cooker, adjusting the cooking times.
- Cultural experience. Chicken kabsa is a dish that reflects the warmth and generosity of Arabian hospitality, much like Kabuli Pulao does for Afghans.
Key Ingredient Notes
- Chicken: I prefer bone-in, skin-on chicken such as leg quarters or a whole chicken cut into large 4-6 pieces, as it is more succulent and flavorful. And the skin turns crispy. Other options are lamb, beef, goat, veal or seafood. Just make sure to adjust cooking times.
- Kabsa Spice Mix: This homemade blend of spices, including cinnamon, black pepper, saffron (or turmeric), cardamom, allspice, coriander, cumin, paprika, cloves, and nutmeg, is the heart of the kabsa's distinctive flavor. You can also use a store bought spice blend or try homemade baharat spice.
- Chicken Stock : Use chicken stock, broth, or dissolve chicken bouillon cubes in water as a flavorful base for cooking the rice. Check these for salt content and adjust the added salt.
- Dried Limes: Pierced dried limes or dried lime powder are a key ingredient in kabsa. They impart a tangy and slightly bitter flavor. The black dried limes which were developed in Oman give this dish an interesting taste, but Persian dried limes from middle eastern stores will also work.
- Basmati Rice: This rice variety is the best for its aromatic and long-grain texture. If using other rice varieties, be sure to adjust the cooking time and liquid amount according to the package instructions.
- Sella Basmati Rice (alternative): Some recipes use sella basmati rice, which has been parboiled and partially cooked before being milled. It has a firmer texture and is less prone to overcooking or becoming mushy. Follow the cooking time and water-to-rice ratio instructions on the packaging.
How To Make Chicken Kabsa
*This is a visual overview. Full recipe with measurements is at the end of the post.
- Combine kabsa spices and set aside. Cook nuts and dried fruits until golden brown.
- Sauté onions until golden brown and transfer to a plate. Sear chicken on both sides until golden brown and transfer to the plate.
- Return cooked onions to the pot. Add garlic, ginger, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves and cook until aromatic. Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, kabsa spice mix and cook until fragrant.
- Add carrots, stock, dried limes, seared chicken, salt and simmer. Remove partially cooked chicken to a plate. Scoop out some tomato oil and set aside.
- Stir rice into the dish, arrange chicken back on top, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Uncover, brush chicken with reserved tomato oil, and bake until golden brown. Garnish with almonds, raisins, sultanas, and parsley.
Top Tips
Use a wide dutch oven: I use a casserole dish for even heat distribution and ample space for searing the chicken and cooking the rice. Or use a shallow and wide baking dish with foil on top.
Pat dry the chicken: Moisture on the chicken skin can hinder browning. Pat dry the chicken pieces thoroughly using paper towels before seasoning and searing them. This will create a crispy skin.
Cooking Rice: Rinse the basmati rice thoroughly to remove excess starch, so that the grains don't cling together and the rice will be fluffy. While simmering the dish, if the rice appears too dry, add a little more chicken stock or water.
Optional browning methods: If you want an extra crispy and golden-brown chicken skin, consider browning the chicken separately by grilling, broiling, frying, or baking it before placing it back on top of the rice.
How To Serve
- Traditional Style: Serve chicken kabsa on a large platter with the aromatic rice as the base. Arrange the browned chicken pieces on top of the rice and garnish it with fried onions, almonds, raisins, sultanas, and chopped parsley. You can also top it with boiled egg halves.
- Sides: Add cucumber salad or onion salad for more veggies. Serve with yogurt or a yogurt-based salad such as mast-o-musir. You can also add pita bread, tangy pickles and hot sauce (shatta).
Variations
Kabsa is gluten free, dairy free, high protein and soy free. Here are some variations you can try.
- Vegan Kabsa: Replace the chicken with plant-based protein alternatives like tofu or tempeh. Use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock and add more vegetables such as shiitake mushrooms.
- Vegetable Kabsa: Replace chicken with chickpeas. Add vegetables such as bell peppers, carrots, peas, and zucchini. Sauté the vegetables along with the onions and spices, or roast them separately and mix them into the cooked rice.
- Other Ideas: Make stuffed peppers, by filling them with rice and chicken mixture and bake until the peppers are tender.
More Chicken Recipes
- Musakhan (Sumac Chicken Flatbread)
- Saffron Chicken
- Braised Chicken With Tomatoes
- Zucchini Stew With Chicken (Khoresht Kadoo)
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Chicken Kabsa (Arabian Chicken and Rice)
Chicken Kabsa is an aromatic Saudi Arabian dish that features fragrant rice, tender browned chicken and a delightful blend of spices. A magnificent chicken and rice one-pot dish that is sure to become your go-to recipe for special occasions and regular dinners.
Print
Course :Main Course
Cuisine :Middle Eastern
Servings: 12 portions
Calories: 364kcal
Ingredients
Kabsa Spice Mix (or Baharat spice blend)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon saffron or turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Chicken and Rice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 3 lbs chicken bone-in, skin-on, leg quarters or whole chicken cut into 4-6 pieces
- 1¼ teaspoons salt adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large yellow onions finely sliced or chopped
- 5 garlic cloves grated
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 bay leaves dried
- 2 green chili peppers seeds removed for milder heat
- 2 red chili peppers or bell peppers
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste or ¼ cup tomato sauce
- 1½ tablespoons Kabsa spice mix recipe above
- 3 carrots grated or shredded, 150g
- 4 cups chicken stock broth, or 2 chicken bouillon cubes plus water (adjust salt)
- 2 dried limes pierced or 2 teaspoons dried lime powder
- 2 cups basmati rice rinsed
- Parsley optional
- 1 tablespoon ghee or butter, optional
Equipment
- Grater
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine all the Kabsa spices and set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a wide dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add almonds, raisins, and sultanas, and cook until golden brown, for about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a plate and set aside.
- Add the sliced onions to the same dish and sauté until they turn golden brown, stirring often, for about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon drain the onions and transfer to the plate.
- Pat dry the chicken pieces and season with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- In the same dutch oven, place the chicken pieces skin-side down. Sear both sides over high heat until golden brown, flipping them in between. This process should take about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.
- Return the cooked onions to the dish and add grated garlic, ginger, cinnamon sticks, and bay leaves. Cook until aromatic, approximately 1 minute.
- Add chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, and the prepared Kabsa spice mix to the dish. Cook until fragrant, stirring occasionally for about 2 minutes.
- Add grated carrots, chicken stock, dried lime, the seared chicken, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Raise the heat until the mixture bubbles, then reduce the heat, cover the dish, and let it simmer for 25 minutes on the stovetop or in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C).
- Scoop out 2 tablespoons of the tomato oil from the top and set it aside in a small bowl. Remove the partially cooked chicken from the dish and transfer it to a plate.
- Stir the rice into the dish, then arrange the chicken on top. Raise the heat until the mixture bubbles, then reduce the heat, cover the dish, and simmer for an additional 20 minutes on the stovetop or in the preheated oven at 350°F (175°C).
- Remove the lid, give the rice a gentle stir, and arrange the chicken back on top. Brush the chicken with the reserved tomato oil. Bake the dish uncovered, for an additional 20 minutes until the chicken turns golden brown on top. Alternatively, you can brown the chicken separately by broiling, frying, or baking it until it becomes golden and crisp.
- Remove from oven, uncover and Let it rest 10 minutes. Then Garnish with fried onions, almonds, raisins, sultanas, chopped parsley and drizzle ghee. Top it with boiled egg halves, if you prefer.
Notes
- Kabsa Spice Mix: Use the homemade kabsa spice mix or try a store-bought kabsa spice blend or baharat as a substitute.
- Chicken Cuts: The bone-in and skin-on chicken works the best for this recipe. Boneless chicken cuts may cook faster, so adjust the cooking time accordingly.
- Dried Limes: If you can't find dried limes, substitute with dried lime powder or juice and zest from 2 limes.
- Meal Prep: Prep some of the ingredients ahead such as the spice blend, dried fruit/nuts, vegetables etc. You can also cook the chicken half the way through and refrigerate the day ahead.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, gently warm it in a pan or microwave, adding a splash of water or broth to prevent it from drying out. You can freeze kabsa for 2 to 3 months in freezer-safe containers.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Portion | Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 509mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 3546IU | Vitamin C: 37mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg
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