Chicken Kabsa

Chicken Kabsa Recipe is an Arabian Chicken and Rice dish made with basmati rice, tomatoes, and a homemade spice mix. In the Gulf countries the same dish is called Machboos. It is the national dish of Saudi Arabia, and families there eat it from one big shared platter.

It feeds a crowd without much work, and the leftovers reheat well. I serve it with toasted pine nuts on top and a fresh salad on the side.

Jump to:

• What is Kabsa?
• Why This Recipe Works
• Ingredients You'll Need
• Kabsa Spice Mix
• How to Make Chicken Kabsa?
• Recipe Tips From the Chef
• Kabsa Variations
• What to Serve with Chicken Kabsa?
• Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Chicken Kabsa

What is Kabsa?

Kabsa is a spiced chicken and rice dish cooked in one pot. In Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar the local version goes by Machboos or Majboos, and every family seasons theirs a little differently.

Machboos or Kabsa looks close to Biryani at first glance. Both cook spiced rice with meat in one pot, but biryani leans on bolder South Asian spices, while kabsa gets its taste from dried limes and warm Gulf spices.

The word kabsa comes from the Arabic verb kabasa, which means to press. Everything is pressed into one pot and cooked together, and that is where the name comes from.

Why This Recipe Works

• You can mix the kabsa spices yourself from jars you already have. Only the dried limes might need a Middle Eastern shop or an online order.

• One pot feeds the whole table, and cleanup stays minimal.

• Swap the chicken for lamb, beef, fish, or shrimp and the method stays the same.

• Leftovers reheat well, so you can cook once and eat twice.

• I think the dried limes make this recipe. They give the rice a sour, smoky taste you cannot get from anything else.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Chicken - For this recipe, I opt for bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters for added flavor. Pat them dry with a paper towel before browning. There is no need to rinse them. Drumsticks, thighs, or a combination of both also work well.

• Onions - Feel free to use diced or sliced brown, yellow, or white onions. Shallots also make an excellent choice.

• Dried limes (limoo amani) - They are one of the key ingredients for the Kabsa dish and give its distinctive flavor. You can buy them from Middle Eastern shops or online from Amazon.

• Tomato + tomato paste - They add a vibrant red color as well as an umami taste to the dish. Opt for the tastiest tomatoes for the best result. I use my own Homemade Tomato Paste when I have a jar in the fridge.

• Whole spices - I use a mixture of bay leaves, cardamom, and cinnamon sticks. You can add other spices to the list such as black peppercorns or cloves if you have them in hand.

• Spices - I blend Baharat, turmeric, allspice, ground black pepper, cloves, and cinnamon for this recipe. Alternatively, you can buy a kabsa spice blend if you prefer.

• Basmati - Choose good quality long-grain basmati rice from a well-known brand for the best results. You can buy it from supermarkets or Indian shops.

Kabsa Spice Mix

There is no single fixed kabsa spice list. Every household in the Gulf mixes its own, and shops sell ready-made blends too.

Mine is built on baharat, with turmeric, allspice, black pepper, and a little clove, plus whole cinnamon, cardamom pods, and bay leaves in the pot.

The dried limes do the rest of the work. Drop them in whole and they turn the broth sour and a little smoky. A store-bought kabsa or baharat blend also works if you do not want to mix your own.

How to Make Chicken Kabsa?

Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken leg quarters on all sides. Remove and set them aside on a plate.

In the same pot, add ghee and sauté diced onions until golden brown.

Stir in baharat, turmeric, cinnamon powder, allspice, black pepper, salt, cloves, dried limes, cinnamon stick, cardamom, and bay leaves.

Cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant. Add chili, fresh ginger, and garlic, tomato paste and diced tomatoes.

Stir well and cook until the tomatoes break down.

Return the browned chicken to the pot. Pour in chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 45 minutes.

Soak the basmati rice in cold water while the chicken is cooking. After cooking the chicken for 45 minutes, rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear. Add it to the pot, stirring gently.

Cover and simmer for an additional 20-25 minutes or until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through.

Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving, just like you would do other rice dishes such as Zereshk Polo Morgh (Persian Barberry Rice with Chicken) and Maqluba (Makloubeh) - Upside down Rice Dish.

Remove the cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and dried limes, and transfer the rice and chicken pieces to a serving plate.

You have the option to mix the chicken pieces with the rice or place the chicken on top of the rice.

Garnish with chopped parsley or coriander and pine nuts.

Recipe Tips From the Chef

• Use bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters for the most flavor. Drumsticks, thighs, or a mix work too.

• Brown the chicken well before it goes back in the pot. The browned skin carries a lot of the taste.

• Rinse the rice under cold water until it runs clear, then soak it while the chicken simmers. Washed rice cooks up fluffy instead of sticky.

• Stick to the rice-to-water ratio in the recipe card. For any rice other than basmati, follow the ratio on the packet.

• Let the pot rest for 10 minutes off the heat before serving, with the lid on. The rice finishes absorbing the steam.

• If the rice still has a bite once the liquid is gone, add a splash of hot water and give it 5 more minutes with the lid on.

• For crispier chicken, lift the pieces out at the end and brown them under the broiler for a few minutes.

Kabsa Variations

• Lamb kabsa works too. Use bone-in lamb shoulder or shanks and give the simmering stage more time, until the meat turns tender.

• A vegetarian pot works with chickpeas instead of chicken. Use vegetable stock, and add the chickpeas along with the rice.

• Some cooks marinate the chicken in yogurt and lemon juice first. The meat turns out more tender, so it is worth trying when you have the time.

What to Serve with Chicken Kabsa?

In the Gulf, kabsa often comes with daqoos, a thin tomato sauce with garlic and chili, spooned over the rice at the table. A cooling side does the same job: try Cacik, Persian Shirazi Salad, or Mutabal (Roasted Eggplant Dip).

A glass of cold Ayran goes well with the warm spices, and a fresh Mango Salad with Avocado and Cucumber rounds out a bigger spread.

Storage and Make Ahead Instructions

You can cook the whole pot a day ahead. Keep it covered in the fridge and reheat it gently before serving. Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

For longer storage, let it cool completely, then freeze it in a well-sealed container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave, adding a splash of water so the rice does not dry out.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious authentic meat and rice dishes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this delightful and aromatic dish 'Arabian Chicken Kabsa - Machboos' as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂