Chicken Kabsa: A Flavorful Journey to the Middle East 🍗🍚
Welcome back, food enthusiasts! Today, I’m thrilled to share a recipe that will take your taste buds on an exotic journey to the Middle East. Chicken Kabsa is a traditional Saudi Arabian dish that’s bursting with aromatic spices and rich flavors. This one-pot dish is not only delicious but also visually appealing, making it perfect for family gatherings or special occasions. Let’s dive into the recipe!
Ingredients
Kabsa Spice Mix:
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom (cardamom powder) 🌿
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper (white pepper powder) 🌶️
- 1/4 tsp saffron 🌼
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (cinnamon powder) 🍂
- 1/2 tsp ground all spice 🌾
- 1/2 tsp dried whole lime powder 🍋
Chicken Kabsa:
- 2 tbsp oil or butter 🧈
- 3 onions, sliced 🧅
- 1 tbsp minced ginger (ginger paste) 🌱
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (garlic paste) 🧄
- 1 green chili 🌶️
- 2 dried bay leaves 🍃
- 6 cloves 🌿
- 4 cardamom pods 🌿
- 1 cinnamon stick 🍂
- 2 tbsp tomato puree (tomato paste) 🍅
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg (nutmeg powder) 🌰
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper (black pepper powder) 🌶️
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin (cumin powder) 🌿
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander (coriander powder) 🌿
- 3 medium carrots, thinly sliced 🥕
- 200 g canned diced tomatoes (or 3 tomatoes chopped) 🍅
- 2 chicken stock cubes 🧂
- 1 1/2 kg whole chicken, cut into 6 pieces 🍗
- 3 cups basmati rice, rinsed 🍚
- 1/4 cup raisins 🍇
- Water 💧
- Salt to taste 🧂
- Raisins, to garnish (optional) 🍇
- Slivered almonds, to garnish (optional) 🌰
Instructions
1️⃣ Prepare the Kabsa Spice Mix:
- In a small bowl, combine ground cardamom, white pepper, saffron, cinnamon, all spice, and lime powder. Set aside. 🥣
2️⃣ Sauté the Aromatics:
- Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions, minced ginger, minced garlic, and green chili. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the onions turn golden brown. 🌟
3️⃣ Add Whole Spices:
- Add dried bay leaves, cloves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick to the pan. Fry for a minute to release the flavors. 🍂
4️⃣ Incorporate Tomato and Ground Spices:
- Stir in the tomato puree, followed by ground nutmeg, ground black pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander, and the prepared kabsa spice mix. Season with salt and fry the spices for a minute. 🍅
5️⃣ Cook Vegetables:
- Add thinly sliced carrots and diced tomatoes to the pan. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. 🥕
6️⃣ Brown the Chicken:
- Add chicken pieces to the pan and brown them, turning occasionally, for about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set aside. 🍗
7️⃣ Prepare the Rice:
- Add rinsed basmati rice and raisins to the pan. Pour in 4 cups of water and season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. 🍚
8️⃣ Grill the Chicken:
- Preheat the grill. Grill the chicken pieces for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through. 🔥
9️⃣ Serve and Garnish:
- Serve the cooked rice with the grilled chicken. Garnish with additional raisins and slivered almonds if desired. 🍛
Tips for the Perfect Chicken Kabsa
- Spice Mix: Adjust the spice levels to your preference. The kabsa spice mix can be made in bulk and stored for future use.
- Rice: Make sure to rinse the basmati rice thoroughly to remove excess starch and achieve fluffy rice.
- Chicken: Browning the chicken adds depth of flavor. Ensure it’s well-cooked and juicy.
Conclusion
Chicken Kabsa is a beautiful blend of spices and ingredients that come together to create a dish that’s both comforting and exotic. It’s a perfect way to bring a taste of the Middle East to your home. Give this recipe a try, and let the aromatic flavors transport you to a land of culinary delight!
Enjoy cooking, and don’t forget to share your Chicken Kabsa creations with us. Happy cooking! 🥘
Feel free to leave your comments, questions, or variations of this recipe below. We love hearing from you!
Chicken Kabsa 🍗🍚
Ingredients
Kabsa Spice Mix:
1/4 tsp ground cardamom (cardamom powder) 🌿
1/4 tsp ground white pepper (white pepper powder) 🌶️
1/4 tsp saffron 🌼
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (cinnamon powder) 🍂
1/2 tsp ground all spice 🌾
1/2 tsp dried whole lime powder 🍋
Chicken Kabsa:
2 tbsp oil or butter 🧈
3 onions, sliced 🧅
1 tbsp minced ginger (ginger paste) 🌱
1 tbsp minced garlic (garlic paste) 🧄
1 green chili 🌶️
2 dried bay leaves 🍃
6 cloves 🌿
4 cardamom pods 🌿
1 cinnamon stick 🍂
2 tbsp tomato puree (tomato paste) 🍅
1 pinch ground nutmeg (nutmeg powder) 🌰
1/2 tsp ground black pepper (black pepper powder) 🌶️
1/4 tsp ground cumin (cumin powder) 🌿
1/2 tsp ground coriander (coriander powder) 🌿
3 medium carrots, thinly sliced 🥕
200 g canned diced tomatoes (or 3 tomatoes chopped) 🍅
2 chicken stock cubes 🧂
1 1/2 kg whole chicken, cut into 6 pieces 🍗
3 cups basmati rice, rinsed 🍚
1/4 cup raisins 🍇
Water 💧
Salt to taste 🧂
Raisins, to garnish (optional) 🍇
Slivered almonds, to garnish (optional) 🌰
Instructions
1️⃣ To make the kabsa spice mix, combine ground cardamom, white pepper, saffron, cinnamon, all spice, and lime powder in a bowl. Set aside. 🥣
2️⃣ Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions, minced ginger, minced garlic, and green chili. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the onions turn golden brown. 🌟
3️⃣ Add dried bay leaves, cloves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon stick to the pan. Fry for a minute. 🍂
4️⃣ Stir in the tomato puree, followed by ground nutmeg, ground black pepper, ground cumin, ground coriander, and the prepared kabsa spice mix. Season with salt. Fry the spices for a minute. 🍅
5️⃣ Add thinly sliced carrots and diced tomatoes to the pan. Stir and cook for 2 minutes. 🥕
6️⃣ Add chicken pieces and brown them, turning occasionally, for about 30 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces from the pan and set aside. 🍗
7️⃣ Add rinsed basmati rice and raisins to the pan. Pour in 4 cups of water. Season with salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. 🍚
8️⃣ Preheat the grill. Grill the chicken pieces for 10-15 minutes or until cooked through. 🔥
9️⃣ Serve the cooked rice with the grilled chicken. Garnish with additional raisins and slivered almonds if desired. 🍛