Chicken Kabsa

A large plate with a portion of chicken and rice.

5 from 2 votes

Chicken Kabsa, an Arabian one-pot chicken and rice dish that is incredibly fragrant, with juicy chicken thighs and perfectly fluffy basmati rice cooked in earthy spices that elevate this dish and make it truly unique. It's a very popular dish in many Middle Eastern countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, where it is considered the national dish. Easy to make, a fantastic exotic dinner with a spicy kick.

Prep Time30

Cook Time45

Total Time1 15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Servings: people

Calories: 724kcal

Author: Daniela Apostol

Ingredients

5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 cup basmati rice ( 200 g)
1 ½ cup chicken stock ( broth, 375 ml, 12 oz)
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
30 g butter ( 2 tbsp)
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon chilli powder
4 cardamon pods
2 bay leaves
2 tomatoes on the vine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or coriander

Instructions

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, add it to a bowl, cover it with water, and allow it to soak for at least 30 minutes or while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Heat up a large pan over a medium heat, add the oil and butter, and allow the butter to melt.
Add the peeled and chopped onion and garlic, season them with half a teaspoon of salt, and leave them to fry until golden.
Add the spices: ground turmeric, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, chilli powder, curry powder, cardamom pods and bay leaves, give everything a good stir, and leave them to cook for 1 minute to release their flavours.
Add the tomato paste and tomatoes cut into quarters, mix, then place a lid on the pan, and leave the tomatoes to cook for a 3-4 minutes to become mushy.
Add the chicken thighs, season with salt and pepper, give everything a good mix, place the lid back on, and cook the chicken to release its juices and until it's no longer pink, and all the liquid is evaporated.
Drain the water in which the rice has soaked, and add the rice to the pan together with the chicken stock.
Place the lid on, and cook everything until all the stock is absorbed completely.
Remove the pan from the heat, but keep the lid on for a further 10 minutes so that the rice is nice and fluffy.
Use a fork to fluffy the rice up, and garnish with freshly-chopped parsley or coriander.

Video

Notes

Using a pan with a lid is extremely important to get the flavours right and perfectly cooked rice that is not a mush. Every single grain is nicely separated and the chicken is juicy and moist and aromatic.
Do not rush the dish by using a high heat, while it's not cooked on the lowest setting, a medium heat ensures a slower cooking that allows for the flavours to blend perfectly.
I also highly recommend soaking the rice for at least 30 minutes if you can, or at least while you gather all the other ingredients and start the prepping. Make sure the rice is rinsed well to get rid of the starch that can make it stick together.

Nutrition