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4.8 from 36 votes

Arabic Chicken and Rice (Kabsa)

Kabsa, Saudi Arabia's national dish, is a fragrant one-pot chicken and rice meal with vegetables, garnished with raisins and roasted nuts.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 20 mins
Total Time
1 hr 35 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 549 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern , Arabian

Ingredients

  • 4 tbsp butter or ghee
  • 3 lbs bone-in chicken (See Note 1)
  • 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 canned with liquid or fresh
  • 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 (See Note 2)
  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 1 dried lime poke several holes in it with tip of knife
Garnish
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 tbsp butter or ghee
  • 1/4 cup raisins
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds
Condiment
  • shatta sauce (or any chile paste)

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Salt and pepper the chicken pieces. Rinse the basmati rice in a sieve until water runs clear, this is optional, but I feel helps to keep the rice fluffy.
  2. Melt butter in a large roasting pan, large stock pot, or dutch oven over medium heat.
  3. Brown the chicken, skin side first, for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn chicken over and then scatter the onion and garlic all around chicken and sauté. Cook until onion is tender and chicken is browned on both sides. Remove chicken from pan, cover and keep warm.
  4. Stir in tomato puree, tomatoes, carrots, all the spices, water, chicken bullion cube and rice.
  5. Top with browned chicken (skin side up), add dried lime and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 45 minutes.
  6. Remove foil, lift chicken pieces out to stir rice mixture and then place chicken back on top. Bake another 15 minutes uncovered until rice is tender and chicken has browned more and reaches an internal temp of 165°F.
  7. In a small saute pan, melt the butter and cook the almonds and raisins until golden brown (several minutes). Set aside.
  8. Place the rice on a large serving dish, top with chicken pieces and garnish with chopped parsley, raisins and almonds.
  9. Serve with pita and Shatta Sauce (red chile sauce or paste of choice - optional).

Notes

  • You can use any bone-in pieces you prefer. 1 whole fryer, cut into 8-10 pieces, half chicken pieces, quarters, etc. Nutrition shown in this recipe card is based on using a 3lb bone-in fryer, cut into 8 pieces.
  • If you prefer, 4 cups of chicken broth or stock may be substituted in place of the water and chicken broth cube.

Nutrition Information

Serving 5oz Calories 549kcal (27%) Carbohydrates 67g (22%) Protein 20g (40%) Fat 23g (35%) Saturated Fat 9g (45%) Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 76mg (25%) Sodium 766mg (32%) Potassium 632mg (18%) Fiber 5g (20%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 5738IU (115%) Vitamin C 18mg (20%) Calcium 102mg (10%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 549

% Daily Value*

Serving 5oz
Calories 549kcal 27%
Carbohydrates 67g 22%
Protein 20g 40%
Fat 23g 35%
Saturated Fat 9g 45%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 76mg 25%
Sodium 766mg 32%
Potassium 632mg 13%
Fiber 5g 20%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 5738IU 115%
Vitamin C 18mg 20%
Calcium 102mg 10%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.