Maqluba is a meat and vegetable dish often served at family events in Arab countries. Cooking all the meat and vegetables together gives the dish delicious flavor and makes for a unique presentation as well. Give it a try for your next special occasion!
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Maqluba is an incredibly popular rice dish across the Middle East. Walk into any family celebration and you will almost always find it being served.
It is a main course that looks very elegant and ornate, and the combination of flavors feels very extravagant. But in reality, it is not terribly complicated to put together. This Jordanian Maqluba Recipe is just fancy enough for any special occasion but still affordable enough for families to make on their own.
And, of course, each family has their own version. They may use different meats or add different vegetables, but ultimately it is all maqluba.
This Jordanian dish has layers. First is a layer of deep-fried vegetables, then fried meat, then seasoned rice, all cooked together so the flavors meld perfectly with one another. At the last second the entire pot is flipped upside down on a serving tray and topped with sliced nuts. The overall presentation is what makes it feel so elevated.
This Chicken Maqluba is a very special dish that families prepare and savor together, so if you are preparing your next get-together and looking for just the right dish to serve, I recommend giving this one a try.
Recipe Origin
Maqluba (can also be spelled Maklouba, Maqlooba, or Makloubeh) has been around for a long time. It appeared in the Kitab al-Tabikh and the Baghdad Cookery Book, a collection of 13th-century recipes. The name maqluba literally translates to “upside-down” in Arabic, referring to the way it is served.
With a recipe this old, it’s difficult to nail down its exact origin. It is believed to have originated in Jordan or Palestine but its fame has spread throughout Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon, and other Middle Eastern countries as well.
I am making this dish to represent Jordanian cuisine because it is such a popular dish in the country! Many believe that maqluba is so popular in Jordan because of the large number of Palestinian refugees that now live in Jordan. Palestinians living in Jordan have made this maqluba recipe, and it has now become a part of Jordanian culture as well.
Why Make This Recipe
- Fancy Presentation: If you are looking to impress your guests with a sign of culture and elegance, this maqluba recipe is a great one to keep in your back pocket. The ability to tip the entire dish perfectly onto the serving platter is a skill worth bragging about.
- Affordable Ingredients: For how elegant this dish is, it doesn’t call for anything fancy. The hardest part of maqluba is just finding the right spices.
- Taste of Jordan: This dish is very popular in Jordan and if you have never been there, maqluba is an excellent way to taste just a bit of the country from home.
What Do I Need To Make This Recipe?
Ingredients
Here is a visual overview of the ingredients in the recipe. Scroll down to the recipe at the bottom for quantities.
- Small Yellow Onion: Yellow onions are not too strong and not too sweet, which is perfect for this recipe. Feel free to use whatever kind of onion you have on hand if needed.
- 7 Spice: 7 Spice is a spice blend using allspice, coriander, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cumin, and nutmeg. See the “What is 7 Spice” section for a more detailed description!
- Basmati Rice: This recipe needs to cook for a while and you don’t want your rice to become overly mushy, so Basmati rice or another long-grain rice is going to be the easy option. Basmati rice doesn’t contain much starch and will not become overly sticky. It provides just the right texture for this dish and does well with this cooking method.
- Chicken: I used bone-in, skin on chicken legs and thighs. You can also use a whole chicken if preferred.
- Vegetable Oil for frying: Having a quart on hand will be more than enough. You can substitute it with sunflower oil. Do not substitute olive oil, as the smoke point is lower.
- Maklobeh Seasoning: See the “What is Maklobeh Seasoning?” section for more information.
- Beefsteak Tomato: Used to prevent the maqluba from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Shaved Almonds: You can also use pine nuts.
What is 7 Spice?
7 Spice or Baharat is a popular spice mix used in Middle Eastern cuisine. You can usually find it for sale in any Middle Eastern grocery store. However, if you don’t have a specialty store nearby, you can easily create this spice mixture with more common spices you probably already have in your pantry.
7 Spice is made with equal parts coriander, cumin, allspice, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix a teaspoon or tablespoon of each for this maqluba recipe and save any leftovers for your next Middle Eastern recipe. If you want to try 7 Spice in another recipe, check out this Lahm bi Ajeen recipe from Iraq.
What is Maklobeh Seasoning?
Maklobeh Seasoning is a spice blend that is popularly used when making this maqluba recipe. Maklobeh seasoning (or Maqluba seasoning) usually comes in a pre-made spice blend that is bottled and sold. While the specific spices in the seasoning will change based on what brand is making the blend, is usually is made with ground spices like paprika, cumin, coriander, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cardamom.
I found my maklobeh seasoning at my local Middle Eastern Grocery store, but you can also find it online. If all else fails, you can just use more 7 Spice in this recipe or even this Baharat Spice Blend!
What Tools Do I Need For This Recipe?
- 5-Quart Pot with a Lid
- Large Platter: You want your platter to be much larger than your pot so that you have room to turn the pot over without the handles getting stuck on the edge of your platter. I wasn’t fancy, so I just used a pizza pan.
Choosing the Right Pot
To get just the right presentation with maqluba, it is important to choose just the right pot. This maqluba recipe fits perfectly into a 5-quart pot. Try to find a non-stick pot that is ten inches across. Using a non-stick pot is important for flipping the dish because it helps to ensure that the recipe’s contents will not stick to the inside of the pot!
To make flipping the dish easier, test out your pot BEFORE layering the ingredients inside. Make sure the handles of your pot do not keep the rim from touching the serving platter. If your pot can sit flush on the platter, it gives you a better chance of getting all the ingredients to come out in one piece.
How to Make This Recipe
Step One: Prepare Your Vegetables
Line a cookie sheet with paper towels. Lay the eggplant slices on the paper towel and sprinkle with a generous layer of salt. Set a timer for 10 minutes and leave the eggplant. It will release water. Use a paper towel to dab off the water droplets. Then flip the eggplant and repeat on the other side.
Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil to a medium pot and heat on the stove over medium heat.
Add in the diced onion and saute for 1-2 minutes until softened.
Add turmeric, black pepper, salt, and 7 Spices into the pot. Stir to coat the onions.
Step Two: Cook the Chicken
Add the chicken into the pot and stir until the chicken is coated in the spices. Cover and cook for 10 minutes and allow the chicken to release some of its own juices.
Add 5 cups of water (hot water preferably!) to the chicken, then cover and cook over medium to low heat for 20-25 minutes.
When the chicken is done cooking, remove it from the liquid and set aside. Reserve the liquid (this is now your chicken broth).
Step Three: Fry the Vegetables
Prepare the vegetables. Heat some oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the potatoes to the hot oil and fry until crispy and golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat the same process for the eggplant. You can also fry the chicken to golden brown if desired.
Season the soaked rice with the maklobeh seasoning and stir to combine.
Step Four: Assemble the Maqluba
Coat a nonstick pot in the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil then place the tomatoes in a layer on the bottom. Then layer the eggplant slices in, then the fried potatoes, then the fried chicken pieces, meaty side down.
Add in the rice and press it to make sure it is level.
Pour in the leftover stock from the chicken until the liquid comes to ½ inch above the uncooked rice.
Cook uncovered until the stock comes to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook the maqluba for an additional 25-30 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked.
Step Five: Flip and Serve
When the rice is cooked, remove the maqluba from the stove and allow it to cool for 15 minutes with the lid still on.
Flip out onto a serving platter. Top the maqluba with slivered almonds and enjoy!
Flipping the Maqluba
Serving the maqluba in one piece is one of the things that makes this dish so unique, so it is important to get this last piece just right.
It is helpful to cook the dish in a non-stick pot and make sure you oil the sides of your pot so the dish can slide out easily.
When you are ready to flip, place the platter on top of the pot and use both hands to hold it steady as you flip it over, leaving the pot flush on top of the platter.
Let the pot rest on top of the platter for a few minutes to give the dish time to separate itself from the bottom of the pot.
I recommend putting the tomatoes at the bottom of your pot when you assemble the dish so if something does stick it is the tomatoes, rather than something more sticky like rice or eggplant. The tomatoes usually release enough liquid to help prevent sticking.
Variations
Like all popular, authentic recipes you will see many variations of this maqluba dish. Here are some variations you can try:
- Many chefs prefer to make it with beef, lamb, or even veal or chickpeas.
- Some use cauliflower florets rather than potatoes or in addition to them.
- Some chefs add carrots, zucchini, peppers, or mushrooms.
- Some chefs add tomato paste to the rice or prefer to season it with whole cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods.
- Some chefs top the dish with pine nuts rather than almonds.
Feel free to experiment with different ingredients that you prefer! If you decide to try a different type of meat, your dish may need to cook longer to achieve the most tender meat.
Expert Tips
It is possible to roast or bake your meat or vegetables rather than frying them in the pot. This will allow you to use less oil but you may not get the same texture. If you do decide to bake the meat or vegetables, you still need to make sure you have enough oil in your pot to prevent sticking.
FAQs
Maqluba is almost always served with an Arabic salad and plain yogurt sauce. The salad is easy to make. Just combine cucumbers and tomatoes and marinate with lemon juice and parsley.
These two sides help balance out what is otherwise a slightly oily, heavy meal.
You can store any leftover Maqluba in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. Keep in mind that the texture will be different when it is reheated.
Did you enjoy this Maqluba Recipe from Jordan? If so, make sure to check out these other recipes I picked out just for you:
Maqluba Recipe (Makloubeh) with Chicken
Equipment
- 5-Quart Pot with a Lid
- Platter
- Cookie Sheet
- Platter
- Paper Towel
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp Vegetable Oil, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp 7 Spice
- 2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes and strained
- 2 lb bone-in skin on chicken legs and thighs , (about 3 legs and 3 thighs)
- 1 eggplant, sliced into ½” rounds
- 1 russet potato, sliced into ¼” rounds
- Vegetable Oil for frying
- 1 ½ tbsp Maklobeh seasoning
- 1 beefsteak tomato, sliced into rounds
- ¼ cup shaved almonds
Instructions
- Line a cookie sheet with paper towel. Lay the eggplant slices on the paper towel and sprinkle with a generous layer of salt. Set a timer for 10 minutes and leave the eggplant. It will release water. Use a paper towel to dab off the water droplets. Then flip the eggplant and repeat on the other side.
- Add 2 tbsp vegetable oil to a medium pot and heat on the stove over medium heat.
- Add in the small yellow diced onion and saute for 1-2 minutes until softened.
- Add ¼ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp salt and 7 Spices into the pot. Stir to coat the onions.
- Add 2 lb chicken into the pot and stir until chicken is coated in the spices. Cover and cook for 10 minutes and allow the chicken to release some of its own juices.
- Add 5 cups of hot water to the chicken, then cover and cook over medium to low heat for 20-25 minutes.
- When the chicken is done cooking, remove it from the liquid and set aside. Reserve the liquid.
- Prepare the vegetables. Heat some oil to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Add the potatoes and fry until crispy and golden brown. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat the same process for the eggplant. You can also fry the chicken to golden brown if desired.
- Season 2 cups of soaked rice with the Maklobeh seasoning and stir to combine.
- Coat a nonstick pot in the remaining 1 tbsp vegetable oil then place the tomatoes in a layer on the bottom. Then layer the eggplant slices in, then the fried potatoes, then the fried chicken pieces, meaty side down.
- Add in the rice and press it to make sure it is level.
- Pour in the leftover stock from the chicken until the liquid comes to ½ inch above the rice.
- Cook uncovered until the stock comes to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for an additional 30 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked.
- When the rice is cooked, remove the maqluba from the stove and allow it to cool for 15 minutes with the lid still on.
- Flip out onto a serving platter. Top with slivered almonds and enjoy!
Notes
- Small Yellow Onion: Yellow onions are not too strong and not too sweet, which is perfect for this recipe. Feel free to use whatever kind of onion you have on hand if needed.
- 7 Spice: 7 Spice is a spice blend using allspice, coriander, cinnamon, pepper, cloves, cumin, and nutmeg. See the “What is 7 Spice” section for a more detailed description!
- Basmati Rice: This recipe needs to cook for a while and you don’t want your rice to become overly mushy, so Basmati rice or another long-grain rice is going to be the easy option. Basmati rice doesn’t contain much starch and will not become overly sticky. It provides just the right texture for this dish and does well with this cooking method.
- Chicken: I used bone-in, skin on chicken legs and thighs. You can also use a whole chicken if preferred.
- Vegetable Oil for frying: Having a quart on hand will be more than enough. You can substitute it with sunflower oil. Do not substitute olive oil, as the smoke point is lower.
- Maklobeh Seasoning: See the “What is Maklobeh Seasoning?” section for more information.
- Beefsteak Tomato: Used to prevent the maqluba from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
- Shaved Almonds: You can also use pine nuts.
- It is possible to roast or bake your meat or vegetables rather than frying them in a pot. This will allow you to use less oil but you may not get the same texture. If you do decide to bake the meat or vegetables, you still need to make sure you have enough oil in your pot to prevent sticking.
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