Middle Eastern & North African · Lunch · Dinner
Chicken Kabsa
كبسة دجاج
Fragrant basmati rice simmered in a tomato and warm-spiced chicken broth, topped with tender chicken, sweet raisins and toasted almonds. A lighter take on Saudi Arabia's beloved family platter, made with skinless chicken and just a spoonful of oil.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 80 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 50% · Fat 23% · Protein 27%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 600 g (about 6 thighs)Boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 1/2 cups285 gBasmati rice
- 1 tbsp14 gOlive oil
- 1 large150 gOnion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves12 gGarlic, minced
- 1 small15 gGreen chilli, slit (optional)
- 1 tspGround cumin
- 1 tspGround coriander
- 1/2 tspGround cinnamon
- 1/2 tspGround cardamom
- 1/2 tspGround turmeric
- 1/2 tspGround black pepper
- 1 tbsp16 gTomato paste
- 2 medium250 gTomatoes, grated
- 1 large100 gCarrot, coarsely grated
- 3 1/3 cups (800 ml)Water
- 2Bay leaves
- 3Whole cloves
- 15 gDried black lime (loomi), pierced (optional)
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 3 tbsp30 gRaisins (optional)
- 3 tbsp25 gSlivered almonds
- 1/4 cup10 gFresh parsley, chopped
Steps
- 1
Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until it runs clear, then cover with fresh cold water and leave to soak for 20 minutes.
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes until soft and golden.
- 3
Stir in the garlic and green chilli, if using, and cook for 1 minute.
- 4
Add the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric and black pepper and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- 5
Stir in the tomato paste, grated tomatoes and carrot and cook for 3 minutes until slightly thickened.
- 6
Add the chicken thighs and turn them in the sauce for 3 minutes to coat.
- 7
Pour in the 800 ml water, add the bay leaves, cloves, dried lime and salt, and bring to a boil.
- 8
Cover, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches 74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part.
- 9
Lift the chicken out onto a baking tray and keep the broth in the pot.
- 10
Drain the soaked rice and stir it into the simmering broth along with the raisins, if using.
- 11
Bring back to a boil, then cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 20 minutes, without lifting the lid, until the liquid is absorbed.
- 12
While the rice cooks, toast the almonds in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring, until golden.
- 13
Just before the rice is done, grill the chicken under a hot grill for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned.
- 14
Take the rice off the heat and let it rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
- 15
Remove the bay leaves, cloves and dried lime, then fluff the rice with a fork.
- 16
Spread the rice on a large platter, arrange the chicken on top, and scatter over the almonds and parsley.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- Use bone-in chicken pieces instead of boneless thighs for a more traditional platter, simmering them about 10 minutes longer until they reach 74 °C / 165 °F.
- Swap the slivered almonds for toasted cashews or pine nuts, or leave the nuts out entirely for a nut-free version.
- If you can't find dried black lime, add the finely grated zest and a squeeze of juice from one lime at the end instead.
- Replace the raisins with chopped dried apricots, or skip them for a less sweet dish.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers in a shallow covered container within 2 hours of cooking (rice can carry bacteria that multiply at room temperature) and eat within 3 to 4 days. Reheat with a splash of water until steaming hot throughout, and only reheat once.
Make ahead
You can simmer the chicken in the spiced broth up to a day ahead, cool quickly, and refrigerate both together; then reheat the broth to a boil, cook the rice in it, and grill the chicken just before serving until it is browned and steaming hot throughout (74 °C / 165 °F in the thickest part). The almonds can be toasted a few days ahead and kept in an airtight jar.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: Tree nutsSulphites
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (569 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 562 kcal | 99 kcal |
| Protein | 37.9 g | 6.7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 69.9 g | 12.3 g |
| of which sugars | 5.4 g | 0.9 g |
| Fiber | 4.6 g | 0.8 g |
| Fat | 14 g | 2.5 g |
| of which saturated | 2.6 g | 0.5 g |
| Sodium | 765 mg | 134 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
