Make a feast with this Arabian style, spiced chicken and rice. The chicken and rice are cooked in a special mix of spices. Thus, this dish an ultimate choice for any special occasion. Chicken Kabsa is a national dish of Saudi Arabia and has become increasingly popular in Malaysia.
Kabsa spice is an important ingredient in this dish. It is easily available in any Middle Eastern grocery stores or supermarkets. The homemade version is also easy to make using individual spices such as black pepper, cumin, star anise, turmeric, and cardamom.
Basmati rice is usually used as long-grain rice can absorb all the spices and makes the dish more flavourful. As Chicken Kabsa is a meal for a group of people, so let’s make this recipe for your next feast.
Ingredients (20 servings):
- 2 whole chickens (cut into 8 pieces)
- 1 kg of basmati rice (washed and soaked for 30 minutes)
- 4 red onions (finely chopped)
- 10 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
- 2-inch ginger
- 3 tbsp of tomato paste
- ½ lemon (cut into thick slices)
- 100 g of raisins
- 100 g of pine nuts or cashew nuts (toasted)
- 200 ml of cooking oil
- Water
- Salt
(Kabsa spices)
- 2 tsp of coriander powder
- 1 tsp of cumin powder
- ½ tsp of black pepper powder
- 2 tbsp of turmeric powder
- 1 tsp of red chilli powder
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 5 cardamom pods
- 8 cloves
Directions:
- Heat cooking oil in the large pot. Add the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves, and let it fry for 30 seconds.
- Add onion, garlic, and ginger. Stir fry them until golden and fragrant.
- Next, add the tomato paste and the rest of Kabsa spices. Keep stirring and fry until the oil starts to separate.
- Add the chicken meat and some salt for seasoning. Cook the chicken on high heat until the oil floats on top again.
- Then, add 4 cups of water and let it simmer on low heat. Cook the chicken until tender for about 15-20 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, remove the chicken from the broth and set it aside.
- Every cup of rice needs one and a half cup of water to cook. If the broth is not enough, add water accordingly. After measuring the broth, start the heat again and add sliced lemon.
- When the broth starts to boil, add rice into the pot. Adjust the salt accordingly.
- Cook and stir the rice on medium heat until the water reduces, and it becomes difficult to stir. Add chicken into the rice.
- Cover the pot tightly and reduce to low heat, let it cook for about 15-20 minutes. Make sure the rice is fully cooked then turn off the heat.
- Pour raisins and pine nuts on top of the rice for garnishing. Serve the meal with yoghurt and cucumber salad at the side.
