Saudi Arabian Kabsa (One Dish Chicken Dinner)

Submitted by Nif_H

"This is probably the most common meal in Saudi Arabia. There are lots of veggies and is the only recipe that you need to make for supper. You may want to include some type of flatbread, but that's about it! This is delicious and not at all hard to make. Enjoy!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 15mins
• Ingredients: 16
• Serves: 4-6

ingredients

• 1⁄4 cup cooking oil
• 2 medium onions, sliced
• 2 -3 lbs chicken, cut up
• 1 (12 ounce) can tomato puree
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 3 cups hot water
• 2 carrots, grated
• grated rind of one orange, just the orange layer and none of the white
• 3 sticks cinnamon
• 4 cloves
• 4 cardamom pods
• salt & pepper
• 1 lb long grain rice
• 1⁄4 cup raisins
• 1⁄4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

directions

1. Sautee onion in oil over medium-high heat until it begins to brown. Turn heat to low and add chicken pieces, tomato puree, chopped tomatoes and garlic and stir for about five minutes. Add hot water, grated carrot, orange rind, spices, salt and pepper to taste. Turn up heat to medum and cook, covered, for about 20-25 minutes, until chicken is done.
2. Remove chicken. Set aside to keep warm. Stir rice into the liquid in the pan, and cook, covered over low heat for about 35 - 40 minutes, or until liquid is absorbed.
3. Remove cinnamon, cloves and cardamom or warn your guests to look out for them!
4. Put rice on a serving with chicken pieces arranged around the circumference. Sprinkle raisins and almonds over all.

Reviews

[MyMothersKitchens]

Tried this recipe today. The family enjoyed it, but feedback were divided. The absence of the usual “mixed spices” was favored on one side and missed by the other. As for the cook (yes, that,s me), I would add those mixed spices next time and see how it would turn out, kinda of missing that little middle eastern kick. Also, I’ll reduce the carrots and tomatoes to one each or halve the puree. Yep, that means, am including this in my “recipes for keeps.” Thanks. I served it with sauteed meatless veggies with a dash of lemon, by the way. I thought flatbread might disagree with the rice. :-). But hey, I know of at least one middle eastern rice & bread recipe with meat, so its is a matter of preference, I should say. Thanks for the recipe. The fact that the whole pot was finished was a silent, positive and lovely message.

 

[Corilayn]

This was an excellent main dish to go with Barb's salad. Only adjustment I made to the recipe was adding about 1/2cup sauteed swiss chard to the dish. It's delicious. Made for forum event: Let's Go to Saudi Arabia

 

[UmmBinat]

This is good but had a bit much orange flavour and I cut down the zest somewhat. So when I make this again I will either omit the orange zest or just add a pinch most probably. The orange addition to me made it taste kind of Moroccan not Saudi. I used canola oil, yellow onions, less tomato puree (paste), fresh tomatoes made this very good, a bit less carrot, a little less cinnamon, white Basmati rice, brown raisins, I toasted the sliced almonds in butter, Yummy!! I would make this again as stated in the review. Made for Family Picks, ZWT6 NA*ME regions, for my team, The Ya Ya Cookerhood.