Kabsa (Arabic Chicken and Rice)
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp butter or ghee
- 3 lbs bone-in chicken
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup tomato puree
- 14 oz chopped tomatoes, with liquid
- 3 carrots, grated
- 1/2 tsp crushed saffron
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 4 cups hot water
- 1 chicken broth cube
- 2 1/4 cups basmati rice
- 1 dried lime, poked with holes
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp butter or ghee
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
- shatta sauce or chile paste, for serving
Steps
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Season chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Rinse basmati rice until water runs clear.
- Melt butter in a large roasting pan or Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Brown chicken skin side down for 3-4 minutes, then turn. Add onion and garlic around chicken and cook until onion is tender and chicken is browned on both sides. Remove chicken, cover, and keep warm.
- Stir tomato puree, chopped tomatoes, carrots, spices, water, chicken bouillon cube, and rice into the pan.
- Place browned chicken on top, skin side up. Add dried lime, cover tightly with foil, and bake 45 minutes.
- Remove foil, lift out chicken, stir rice mixture, then return chicken to top. Bake uncovered 15 more minutes until rice is tender and chicken reaches 165°F internal temperature.
- In a small pan, melt butter and cook almonds and raisins until golden brown, several minutes.
- Transfer rice to a serving dish, top with chicken, and garnish with parsley, raisins, and almonds.
- Serve with pita bread and shatta sauce or chile paste, if desired.
Source: silkroadrecipes.com