Chicken Kabsa

Jump to Recipe

Get ready to impress your loved ones by serving this delicious Chicken Kabsa! This national dish of Saudi Arabia brings together juicy chicken and flavorful Kabsa rice for a meal that's perfect for any occasion. It's the ultimate choice when you want to impress your friends and family. So, why not channel your inner chef and whip up a delicious feast that'll have everyone asking for seconds?

Having dined out in Saudi Arabia, I've discovered that Kabsa varies from one restaurant to another. Upon delving deeper, I realized that there are multiple ways to prepare this dish. Today, I'm excited to share a simple one-pot chicken Kabsa recipe using readily available ingredients. If you're familiar with cooking ghee rice, you'll find this chicken Kabsah recipe a breeze to master—it's even easier than preparing biryanis... well I feel most of the Arabic rice recipes are much easier than our dum biryani! 🙂

Jump to:

What is Kabsa?
Ingredients
Instructions
Top Tip
Storage
Related
📖 Recipe Card
💬 Comments

What is Kabsa?

Kabsa, known as the national dish of Saudi Arabia, features a delightful combination of rice and meat, served alongside fried raisins, almonds, yoghurt sauce, and green salads. Its name derives from the cooking technique of "pressing," showcasing its flavorful blend of spices distinct from those used in Machboos and Mandi.

Ingredients

Here is a list of the key ingredients to make this pot of chicken kabsa:

Rice: I have used basmati rice. You may use sella basmati but make sure you soak them overnight.
Oil: I have used a mix of olive oil and butter. You may use any cooking oil like sunflower or canola etc.
Almonds: I used almonds blanched, peeled and slit. You may use store-bought halved almonds.
Raisins: Large black raisins are the best option. I didn't have it when I made it for the blog.
Whole spices: You will need green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon sticks, loomi (dried black lime) and bay leaf. If you don't have the black dried lime, you can use the brown.
Veggies: You need red onions, ginger garlic paste, tomatoes, and carrots.
Chicken: a whole chicken with or without skin, cut into 4 or 8 pieces
Ground spices: black pepper powder, coriander powder, allspice powder or you may replace all of this with store-bought or homemade Kabsa spice mix.

Scroll down to see the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

How to make chicken kabsa?

fry the garnishes
boil the chicken in the kabsa spiced tomato broth
remove the chicken roast with butter to brown them in pan or oven
cook the rice in the prepared tomato chicken broth
top the cooked rice with browned chicken, fried nuts and fresh herbs

Fry and Saute

Removing fried almonds using slotted spoon.

Warm oil or ghee in the cooking pot for the kabsa. Fry the almonds until they turn golden, then remove them from the pot.

Removing fried raisins using slotted spoon.

Fry the raisins till puffed remove and keep them aside.

Whole spices in hot oil in a wide bottomed pot.

Add more oil or ghee if required and then add all the whole spices. Saute until fragrant.

Next, add the chopped onions, and saute until translucent.

Now, add the ginger-garlic paste, and saute until the raw smell of garlic wades off (~ 5mins)

Then the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste go in.

Add the grated carrot and mix well (~ 5 mins)

Add the cut chicken along with all the spice powders and salt. (You can also use one whole chicken cut in half)

Boil and cook

Cook covered on medium flame until chicken turns white and oil surfaces (~10 mins)

Add enough water (2 to 2 and ¼ cup) and adjust the salt. Cover and cook on low until chicken is cooked completely (~15 mins)

Remove the chicken pieces and keep them aside.

Adding soaked and drained basmati rice to kabsa broth.

Add the drained rice, more hot water if required and adjust the salt. (make sure there is water little less than an inch above the grains)

Cook on medium to high flame until you can see the grains on the surface (~ 5 mins). Reduce the flame to the lowest.

Sealed with foil and then lid to steam cook the rice.

Place a foil or clean kitchen cloth and then cover with the tight lid. Slide a flat pan under the pot - this prevents the burning of food and distributes heat evenly. Cook for 10 minutes on the lowest flame. Switch off and don't disturb for another 10 minutes.

roast and serve

Take the chicken pieces and grill or broil them in the oven or stovetop with some butter.

Pot of kabsa rice fluffed using rubber spatula.

Open the pot, and stir the rice.

Serve Kabsa topped with the grilled chicken pieces and the fried almonds and raisins along with salads and yoghurt.

Chicken kabsa served on a large platter.

Top Tip

For perfectly cooked rice without the risk of it becoming mushy, it's better to start with less water. I prefer boiling the chicken in 2 cups of water initially, then adjusting the water quantity when adding the rice.

If you haven't soaked the rice, it may require more water; if soaked for too long, less water will be needed. Remember, the rice continues to cook in steam after being turned off, so allow it to sit covered for a few minutes before serving.

Storage

Any leftover chicken kabsa rice or chicken pieces can be refrigerated in a container for 3 to 5 days. When ready to eat, reheat the chicken kabsa thoroughly by steam method to prevent rice from drying.

What should I do if the rice becomes dry when reheating chicken kabsa?

If the rice becomes dry when reheating, you can add a little bit of water or chicken broth to moisten it. Cover the dish and continue reheating until heated through.

What is the difference between biryani and Kabsa?

Biryani and kabsa are both rice dishes, but they originate from different regions and have distinct flavor profiles. Biryani, from South Asia, features basmati rice, meat, and a blend of spices cooked together using the "dum" method. Kabsa, from Saudi Arabia, incorporates basmati rice, meat, tomatoes, onions, and a unique spice mix, cooked in a single pot for a subtly spiced flavor.

What is the difference between Mandi and Kabsa?

Both are popular Middle Eastern rice dishes, but they differ in origin, ingredients, and cooking methods. Mandi originates from Yemen and features rice and meat cooked together in a tandoor oven with a Hawajj spice blend, while Kabsa is a Saudi Arabian dish cooked in a single pot with tomatoes, onions, and a kabsa spice mix. Mandi has a smoky flavour from the tandoor oven, while Kabsa offers a subtly spiced taste with a balance of savoury and tangy notes.

Looking for other recipes using basmati rice?