Simply by Maha
DinnerMedium

Chicken Kabsa

Chicken kabsa is one of my favorite chicken and rice dishes — full of warm spices, tender chicken, and flavorful rice cooked in a rich homemade broth. Served with daqoos and topped with toasted almonds, it’s such a comforting and delicious meal.

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 120 min
Total: 150 min
Serves 4
Chicken Kabsa

Ingredients(serves 4)

  • #For the Kabsa
  • 1 whole chicken, cut up, or 4 chicken leg quarters
  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 2 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 chicken stock cube (optional) 2 tablespoons ghee Salt, to taste
  • 2 tbsp ghee
  • Salt, to taste

  • Aromatics (use what you have)

  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 3 cloves
  • 2 star anise
  • 2 dried limes (lumis)
  • Spices 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 1 teaspoon ginger powder 1 teaspoon paprika 1 teaspoon coriander powder 1 teaspoon nutmeg powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder 1 teaspoon cardamom powder 1/2 teaspoon cumin powder 1/2 teaspoon turmeric Kabsa spice, optional
  • Kabsa Spice (optional) OR
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp ginger powder
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp nutmeg powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1 tsp cardamom powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric

  • Kabsa Sauce (Daqoos)

  • 4 tomatoes
  • 2 hot peppers
  • 3 garlic cloves, or to taste
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cumin

  • For Serving

  • Chopped almonds, toasted

Instructions

  1. Soak the rice
    Rinse the basmati rice well, then soak it in water until it doubles in size. Drain and set aside.
  2. Prepare the base
    In a large pot, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, tomato purée, and chicken stock cube if using. Cook everything together until softened and fragrant.
  3. Add the chicken and seasoning
    Add the chicken to the pot along with all of the spices, aromatics, and salt. Let everything cook together for a few minutes so the chicken gets coated well in all the flavor.
  4. Cook the chicken
    Add enough water to cover the chicken. Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
  5. Make the daqoos
    While the chicken cooks, blend together the tomatoes, hot peppers, garlic, cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and cumin until smooth. Set aside.
  6. Remove the chicken
    Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot and place it on a baking sheet.
  7. Strain the broth
    Strain the broth from the pot, keeping the liquid and separating out the cooked onions, carrot, and spices. Return the strained broth to the pot. Keep some of the strained cooked mixture to spread over the chicken.
  8. Broil the chicken
    Spread some of the reserved strained onion and spice mixture over the chicken on the baking sheet. Place the chicken under the broiler until the top gets crispy and golden.
  9. Cook the rice
    Add the soaked rice to the strained broth and cook until tender and fluffy.
  10. Toast the almonds
    Toast the chopped almonds until golden.
  11. Assemble and serve
    Plate the rice, place the crispy chicken on top, and finish with the toasted almonds. Serve with the daqoos on the side.

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