Kabsa (Arabic Chicken and Rice)
Ingredients
4 tbsp butter or ghee
3 lbs bone-in chicken (See Note 1)
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 large onion finely chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
1/4 cup tomato puree
14 oz chopped tomatoes canned with liquid or fresh
3 carrots grated
1/2 tsp crushed saffron
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/8 tsp ground cloves
4 cups hot water
1 chicken broth cube (See Note 2)
2 cups basmati rice
1 dried lime poke several holes in it with tip of knife
Garnish:
2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
1 tbsp butter or ghee
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds
Condiment:
shatta sauce (or any chile paste)
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Salt and pepper the chicken pieces. Rinse the basmati rice in a sieve until water runs clear, this is optional, but I feel helps to keep the rice fluffy.
Melt butter in a large roasting pan, large stock pot, or dutch oven over medium heat.
Brown the chicken, skin side first, for 3 to 4 minutes. Turn chicken over and then scatter the onion and garlic all around chicken and sauté. Cook until onion is tender and chicken is browned on both sides. Remove chicken from pan, cover and keep warm.
Stir in tomato puree, tomatoes, carrots, all the spices, water, chicken bullion cube and rice.
Top with browned chicken (skin side up), add dried lime and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove foil, lift chicken pieces out to stir rice mixture and then place chicken back on top. Bake another 15 minutes uncovered until rice is tender and chicken has browned more and reaches an internal temp of 165°F.
In a small saute pan, melt the butter and cook the almonds and raisins until golden brown (several minutes). Set aside.
Place the rice on a large serving dish, top with chicken pieces and garnish with chopped parsley, raisins and almonds.
Serve with pita and Shatta Sauce (red chile sauce or paste of choice – optional).
