Chicken Kabsa Recipe | Saudi Chicken and Rice

Kabsa or Kabseh is a very aromatic traditional chicken and rice dish from Saudi Arabia. Wonderful flavors and aromas are combined in this chicken kabsa dish to create a flavorful meal. This spiced chicken and rice dinner will definitely become one of your favorites.

Saudi Chicken Kabsa Recipe

Saudi Kabsa is very popular in the Arab world. Kabsa is common in Gulf countries like Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE, and it has also become popular in Syria, Palestine, Jordan and other Arab countries.

Chicken and Rice Dinner Doesn’t Have to Be Boring

Who doesn’t love a chicken dinner? Make it a winner chicken dinner with this Kabsa recipe. In this dish the chicken and rice are cooked in the same pot, but separately. All the spices and flavors from the chicken add an extra layer of depth to the rice.

Kabsa is so easy to make, and I will show you how to make Kabsa step by step with photos.

The Kabsa Spice Mix

I like to use a blend of whole and ground spices. I use a wide variety of spices in my cooking, and these are spices that I actually have on hand for various recipes.

If I used a certain whole spice you can substitute with the ground version, and vice versa. If you do not have many of the spices, you can buy a Kabsa spice blend (like this one from spice jungle). That way you don’t have to spend a fortune buying all the different spices separately. You can find the Kabsa spice blend online, or in a Mediterranean food store, or an Indian food store.

Here Are The Spices of Kabsa

• Dried whole lemon/lime: You can find black or “white” dried lemon. I use the lighter variety (like this one from Amazon), but you can also use the black. In Arabic, the dried lemon is called “lumi”. It has a smoky citrus flavor, and it is traditionally used in Kabsa. You can use it whole, crushed, or even ground. It definitely plays a big role in the unique flavors of this dish.
• Cinnamon Sticks: add whole or ground.
• Dried bay leaves: I prefer these whole, but you can add it ground. If you grind your own spices, make sure you sift it, because bay leaves don’t easily grind into a fine powder.
• Whole cloves
• Green cardamom pods
• Ground dried ginger: substitute with fresh ginger if you prefer.
• Ground coriander seeds: adds a unique sweet flavor with a hint of citrus that goes really well with this recipe.
• Turmeric powder: adds color to the chicken and rice.
• Mixed spice blend: I add this for extra depth of flavor, and I always have an Arabic spice blend on hand.
• Ground black pepper

In Addition to The Spices:

• Zest of an orange: Orange zest enhances the citrus aroma in Kabsa.
• Diced tomatoes
• Tomato paste: the tomato not only adds flavor but also color to both the chicken and the rice.

How to make Kabsa Chicken and Rice – Step by Step Instructions:

Here, I break down the steps with tips and detailed instructions. You can also find the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Before cooking anything, soak the rice in lukewarm water, and set aside. Soaking the rice results in a fluffier and longer grain when cooked.

Start by sauteing the onion in canola or vegetable oil. You want the onion to develop good color. It takes about 12 minutes on medium heat. Stir fry the onions until they are golden to get the caramelized flavor.

Add the chicken to the pot. Cook it until its white and has some color on both sides. Then add all of the spices, the tomatoes, the paste, the orange zest and some salt. Stir everything together, and cook for a couple of minutes so that the spices develop more flavor with the heat. Then add boiling water to cover the chicken.

This can also be done the other way around. Adding the spices and the tomatoes prior to adding the chicken. This intensifies the aromas and flavors of the spices even more.

Boil the chicken on medium heat for 25 minutes.

Just before the 25 minutes are up, drain the rice and rinse it with running water. You want to remove any excess starch so that the cooked rice is not sticky.

Remove the chicken from the pot, and place the pieces on a pan to go in the oven. Sprinkle the chicken with some salt and pepper, and put it in the oven. You can also brush the chicken with some oil. To give it some color, broil it on low for about 8 minutes. Keep an eye on it, some ovens are hotter than others, you don’t want to burn your chicken.

To the same pot which has all the spices and the chicken stock, add the rice. The water should be about an inch above the rice. If there isn’t enough water, add some more boiling water. If you added enough salt earlier when we boiled the chicken, you won’t need to add any more to the rice. Give the stock a taste, and add some salt if you like.

Only stir the rice once when you pour it into the pot, then leave it be. This is very important. If you stir the rice while it cooks, you will break the grains and release starch. The rice will be thick and clumpy. Cook the rice on low heat. Keep the pot closed throughout the cooking. The longer you leave it on low heat, the more fluffy rice you will get.

Toast some slivered almonds in canola oil for garnish. When you toast the almonds, as soon as they start to take some color, turn off the heat and they will develop golden color from the heat of the pan.

To Serve: Plate the rice, and put the chicken pieces on top. Then, garnish with toasted slivered almonds. You can serve it with yogurt and salad on the side. It can also be served with traditional tomato salsa from the gulf called dakkous.

More Recipes to try:

• Baked Spinach Artichoke Pasta
• Baba Ganoush Eggplant Dip Recipe
• Spinach Puff Appetizers

What’s For Dessert? Try this easy Semolina Cake recipe.

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