Chicken Kabsa
Dive into the vibrant world of Chicken Kabsa, where tender, marinated chicken meets a delightful blend of spices and a tangy vinegar-salt brine. This dish bursts with flavor thanks to fragrant ingredients like cardamom and saffron, creating a mouthwatering experience that’s sure to impress. Get ready to savor each bite of this Middle Eastern classic!
Prep
15
min
Cook
45
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 1 dry black lemon powder (loomi powder)
- 1 litre cold water (4.23 cup)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(9)
- 1 tbsp black pepper (15 ml)
- 1 tsp cardamom powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp cinnamon (5 ml)
- 1½ tbsp ground coriander (22.5 ml)
- 1 tbsp ground cumin (15 ml)
- 1½ tsp paprika (7.5 ml)
- 2 tbsp salt (30 ml)
- 1½ tbsp salt (22.5 ml)
- 1 tsp turmeric (5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1/3 cup white vinegar (79.9 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 1 tsp ground cloves (5 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Dissolve salt fully in water.
- 2
Mix in vinegar.
- 3
Submerge chicken completely.
- 4
Brine for 3–4 hours minimum (up to 6 hours max).
- 5
Blend diced tomatoes.
- 6
Cook in a little ghee with onions, whole spices, and tomato paste.
- 7
Add green chilies and kabsa spices, then blended tomatoes.
- 8
Cook everything well, then add water.
- 9
Mix everything well.
- 10
Add basmati rice.
- 11
Cook chicken until 70-80% done.
- 12
In a pan, add ghee and chicken, then mix a little tomato paste with the stock and pour over the chicken.
- 13
Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
- 14
Add rice to the stock and let it steam.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brine your chicken at 6% salt concentration (60g salt per 1L water) for exactly 4 hours to achieve optimal moisture retention without over-salting the rice.technique6% salt concentration
- ✓Toast whole spices in ghee for 45-60 seconds until fragrant before adding wet ingredients - this releases fat-soluble compounds that won't develop later in the cooking process.timing45-60 seconds
- ✓Cook tomato paste for 2-3 minutes until it darkens and loses its raw acidity (pH drops from 4.2 to 3.8) before adding blended tomatoes.techniquepH 4.2 to 3.8
- ✓Use a 1.5:1 water to rice ratio when cooking kabsa rice, as the tomato base adds extra liquid and acidity that affects starch gelatinization.ingredient1.5:1 ratio
- ✓Layer the brined chicken on top of rice and steam at exactly 200°F for 25-30 minutes to prevent the bottom from burning while ensuring even cooking throughout.equipment200°F for 25-30 minutes
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
45
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Chicken Kabsa
Dive into the vibrant world of Chicken Kabsa, where tender, marinated chicken meets a delightful blend of spices and a tangy vinegar-salt brine. This dish bursts with flavor thanks to fragrant ingredients like cardamom and saffron, creating a mouthwatering experience that’s sure to impress. Get ready to savor each bite of this Middle Eastern classic!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(2)
- 1 dry black lemon powder (loomi powder)
- 1 litre cold water (4.23 cup)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(9)
- 1 tbsp black pepper (15 ml)
- 1 tsp cardamom powder (5 ml)
- 1 tsp cinnamon (5 ml)
- 1½ tbsp ground coriander (22.5 ml)
- 1 tbsp ground cumin (15 ml)
- 1½ tsp paprika (7.5 ml)
- 2 tbsp salt (30 ml)
- 1½ tbsp salt (22.5 ml)
- 1 tsp turmeric (5 ml)
🍯Sauces & Condiments(1)
- 1/3 cup white vinegar (79.9 ml)
📦Other(1)
- 1 tsp ground cloves (5 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Dissolve salt fully in water.
- 2
Mix in vinegar.
- 3
Submerge chicken completely.
- 4
Brine for 3–4 hours minimum (up to 6 hours max).
- 5
Blend diced tomatoes.
- 6
Cook in a little ghee with onions, whole spices, and tomato paste.
- 7
Add green chilies and kabsa spices, then blended tomatoes.
- 8
Cook everything well, then add water.
- 9
Mix everything well.
- 10
Add basmati rice.
- 11
Cook chicken until 70-80% done.
- 12
In a pan, add ghee and chicken, then mix a little tomato paste with the stock and pour over the chicken.
- 13
Bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
- 14
Add rice to the stock and let it steam.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Brine your chicken at 6% salt concentration (60g salt per 1L water) for exactly 4 hours to achieve optimal moisture retention without over-salting the rice.technique6% salt concentration
- ✓Toast whole spices in ghee for 45-60 seconds until fragrant before adding wet ingredients - this releases fat-soluble compounds that won't develop later in the cooking process.timing45-60 seconds
- ✓Cook tomato paste for 2-3 minutes until it darkens and loses its raw acidity (pH drops from 4.2 to 3.8) before adding blended tomatoes.techniquepH 4.2 to 3.8
- ✓Use a 1.5:1 water to rice ratio when cooking kabsa rice, as the tomato base adds extra liquid and acidity that affects starch gelatinization.ingredient1.5:1 ratio
- ✓Layer the brined chicken on top of rice and steam at exactly 200°F for 25-30 minutes to prevent the bottom from burning while ensuring even cooking throughout.equipment200°F for 25-30 minutes