Chicken Machboos Recipe
A flavorful chicken and rice speciality, Machboos will show you the beauty and flavors of Middle Eastern cuisine. Dive right into Bahraini culture by making this insanely delicious dish at home!
Servings 6
Calories 573kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp ghee or olive oil
- 1 small red onion thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp Baharat seasoning
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2.5 lb bone-in skin-on chicken pieces, I used thighs and legs
- 1 15 oz diced tomatoes can, drained
- 3 whole cloves
- ½ tsp ground loomi dried lemon/lime, can also use the zest of ½ lemon
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 cups basmati rice rinsed
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Heat the 4 tbsp oil in a saucepan and fry the thinly slice red onion for about 5-7 minutes or until they turn translucent. Stir in 1 tbsp Baharat and 1 tsp turmeric and cook for 2 more minutes. Remove the onions to a small bowl and set aside.
- Add the 2.5 lb chicken pieces into the saucepan and brown lightly. You may need to work in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. When the chicken is browned, remove it to a plate and then work on the next batch until complete.
- Add the 15 oz diced tomatoes, 3 whole cloves, ½ tsp ground loomi, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 tsp cardamom, and 1 tbsp salt to the pot.
- Pour in 3 cups of water, then add the browned chicken back and the cooked onions back into the pot. Put a lid on it and turn the heat to high.
- Bring the water to a boil, then reduce it and bring it to a simmer. Allow the chicken to simmer for about 20 minutes or until cooked through (and reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Add the 2 cups Basmati rice and 2 tbsp cilantro and parsley into the pot and bring back to a simmer. Cook, covered, on low for about 30 minutes until the rice is fully cooked. When done, remove the mixture from the heat and leave it to sit for 10 minutes with the lid still on.
- While the rice is resting, turn your oven to a broil. Put the chicken pieces on a cookie sheet and place under the broiler until they are brown and crispy.
- Add the rice to a large platter and top with the chicken pieces. Enjoy!
Notes
Recipe adapted from The Complete Middle Eastern Cookbook by Tess Mallos.
- Ghee: Ghee is clarified butter popular in Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine. It is made by removing the milk solids from butter, leaving only the non-dairy part of butter behind. You can find ghee in the oil section of your grocery store or at an Indian market. If you are not able to find ghee, you can also use olive oil (pictured above).
- Baharat Seasoning: Baharat seasoning is a blend of 8 different spices that form the base for a lot of Bahraini cuisine. You can make your Baharat Spice Blend at home or you can buy it from the spice aisle of your grocery store.
- Chicken: Use bone-in, skin on chicken. I used a combo of thighs and legs. You can also use breasts.
- Loomi: Dried lime. See “Loomi” section for more information on this ingredient. You can replace it with the zest of ½ of a lemon if necessary.
- Some countries/recipes serve this dish with toasted nuts on top. Feel free to do this if you wish! Toasted almonds and pine nuts are a good choice. Raisins are also popular!
- Keep an eye on your chicken while under the broiler, as it can burn easily.
- If you can, try to find the cinnamon sticks and cloves before digging into your meal!.The cloves may be tricky to locate.
- Use whole spices when you can, as it adds a lot of flavor to this dish.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 573kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 123mg | Sodium: 1247mg | Potassium: 642mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 176IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 3mg