Chicken Kabsah Recipe - An Arabic Cuisine

 

Chicken Kabsa Recipe/ Saudi Chicken Kabsa Dish in Lahori Style/ Chicken Kabsa Rice/ Arabic Recipe

Chicken Kabsa Recipe/ Saudi Chicken Kabsa Dish in Lahori Style/ Chicken Kabsa Rice/ Arabic Recipe/ Kabsa Recipe/ Kabsa Saudi Recipe/ Kabsa/ Kabsa Biryani Rice

Considered the national dish of Saudi Arabia, this spiced chicken-and-rice dinner couldn't have a more beautiful presentation—it's served with fried almonds and raisins, parsley sprigs, and a citrusy yogurt sauce.

Ingredients:

• For the Lemon Yogurt Sauce
• 1 1/2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt or labneh
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh curly parsley
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt
• For the Chicken
• 6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, plus 6 chicken drumsticks
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup grated carrot (about 1 medium carrot)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 strips orange zest, plus juice of 1 orange
• 3 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock
• 5 cardamom pods, crushed
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice, washed until water is clear then soaked in water to cover for 45 minutes
• 2 cups cooking oil
• 1/2 cup whole blanched almonds
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup curly parsley sprigs, for garnish

Directions:

Step 1

Make the lemon yogurt sauce: In a medium bowl, stir to combine yogurt, lemon zest and juice, parsley, and cayenne. Season with salt; set aside.

Step 2

Make the chicken: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large high-sided pan or oven over medium-high. Working in batches, cook chicken, turning, until golden and crisp on all sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from pan and set aside.

Step 3

Reduce heat to medium and stir in onion, garlic, ginger, carrot, cumin, coriander, and turmeric. Cook, stirring occasionally until vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, orange zest and juice, stock, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer.

Step 4

Place browned chicken, skin-side up, in simmering liquid, and transfer to the oven for 25 minutes.

Step 5

Remove chicken from cooking liquid and place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Reserve pan with cooking liquid. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees and transfer chicken to oven until cooked through 18 to 20 minutes.

Step 6

To prepare the rice, heat the pan with reserved cooking liquid over medium and bring to a simmer. Stir in rice, cover, and cook at a low simmer until rice is tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and fluff with a fork to combine.

Step 7

Heat safflower oil in a small heavy-bottomed pot until a deep-fry thermometer reads 325 degrees. Add almonds and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towel-lined plate to drain. Add raisins to the pot and cook until puffed, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, remove to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

Step 8

To serve, spoon rice onto a serving platter and top with chicken. Sprinkle with fried almonds and raisins, garnish with parsley, and serve with lemon yogurt sauce.