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    Home » Recipes » Dinner Recipes

    Chicken Mandi (Yemeni Rice)

    Published: Jun 2, 2021 · Modified: Jan 2, 2023 by Hinz

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    1K+Shares

    Chicken Mandi Recipe is the most popular baked Yemeni rice with chicken that people love to make and serve on festive occasions. I would say, the ultimate taste of Arabic chicken and rice is pentrated in Yemeni Mandi. Family favorite dish of Arabian cuisine.

    chicken mandi recipe
    chicken mandi recipe

    Looking for Middle eastern dinner recipes? Check out, Chicken Kabsa, Shish Tawook, Falafel, Saudi Albaik Chicken, and Chicken Maqluba. You will surely love these recipes to add value to your dinner table.

    Jump to:
    • What is Mandi?
    • Traditional Mandi Cooking
    • Mandi Vs. Kabsa
    • How to Make Mandi
    • 1) Prepare Hawaij (Mandi Spice Mix)
    • 2) Marinate The Chicken
    • 3) Prepare Rice
    • 4) Baking
    • Chicken Mandi Video
    • Easy Tips
    • Serving Idea
    • You Might Like This
    • Chicken Mandi (Yemeni Rice)

    What is Mandi?

    Mandi (مندي‎) is the most popular dish of Arabic cuisine. It's a traditional dish from Yemen prepared with rice and meat by using traditional mandi powder (Hawaij). The dish is cooked underground tandoor which makes it distinguished among other rice recipes.

    The word "Mandi" basically represent the Arabic word 'Nada' which means 'Dew' that depicts the moist and tender meat.

    As the dish is so popular due to its unique taste and aroma so every region makes it in its own way by adding some variation in spice but overall the method of preparing mandi is similar. As the mandi belongs to Yemen but the other Arabian regions like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, and Turkey make the best mandi flavor.

    You can make Mandi in your own kitchen using oven or on stovetop. Only need to incorporate the right technique to prepare best Mandi flavor. It's been made with Basmati or Jasmine rice and meat (chicken, lamb, goat, or camel).

    how to make chicken mandi
    how to make chicken mandi

    Traditional Mandi Cooking

    Traditionally people make an underground oven by digging a big pit over the ground. Ignited with coal or most preferred with wood (Samer or Gadha) and kept the Mandi meat and rice inside and cover with clay from all sides for 5 to 6 hours. People still making Mandi in the same way as it has the best taste and aroma.

    Over time, people make it in the oven as most of the restaurants are preparing Mandi to serve lunch and dinner and oven-baked Mandi has more or less a similar flavor.

    It's a dish that Arabic people serve on special occasions like Eid or weddings and festivals.

    Soft, tender, and juicy meat in Mandi give a perfect bite with smoky rice. The addition of raisins and almonds makes it more delicious. It's a family favorite recipe for dinner or lunch.

    chicken mandi - Arabic Chicken and Rice
    chicken mandi - Arabic Chicken and Rice

    Mandi Vs. Kabsa

    Mandi and Kabsa both are Arabian rice and meat recipes but cooked with different methods. Many people relate it but it's so much different in terms of cooking. Mandi cooked in oven/tandoor with special mandi powder called Hawaij.

    Kabsa prepared in a curry broth using dried lemon, tomato paste, and Arabic spices along with meat. When the meat gets tender, it's been removed and cooked in the oven, and rice prepared in stock over the stove.

    Kabsa is brown in color while the Mandi has a signature saffron yellow color that makes it distinguished.

    How to Make Mandi

    The making of Chicken Mandi in the oven is simple and easy to make recipe that anybody can easily prepare in home kitchen. You just need to make homemade Hawaij powder or spice mix that super easy to make at home otherwise you can take it from the store. In the recipe, you can check Hawaij ingredients and add them to a bowl and mix well. It will be ready in 5 minutes.

    1) Prepare Hawaij (Mandi Spice Mix)

    Hawaij is the form of the mixture in Arabic. It's a special Mandi powder or spice mix that used to marinate chicken and used in mandi rice cooking. If you want you can take store-bought Hawaij but homemade is the best.

    I have taken all the spices in powder form. If you are taking whole spices then grind it to make a fine powder.

    Here are the ingredients to prepare Hawaij at Home

    Saffron Powder - ⅓ teaspoon - Will add the signature yellow color to Mandi rice.
    Turmeric Powder - ½ teaspoon -
    Also add yellow pale color and give it savory taste.
    Salt - 1 teaspoon + Black Pepper Powder - ½ teaspoon -
    Make it salty with pepper flavor.
    Coriander Powder - 1 teaspoon -
    Recommended ingredient of Hawaij
    Cumin Powder - 1 Tsp - A heaped teaspoon of cumin powder will make the difference in spice mix.
    Cinnamon Powder - ½ Tsp - Essential to add as it will add the taste and aroma of cinnamon.
    Chili Powder - ½ Tsp - It's optional! you can use paprika if you want otherwise leave it.
    Garlic Powder - ½ Tsp - It's a clove powder that will add flavor to spices.
    Cardamom Powder - ½ Tsp
    - It will add more taste to spice!

    You can use these spices to make homemade Hawaij spice mix. It will serve with ½ KG Mandi serving. If you want to make more then multiply the quantity accordingly.

    Can I Store Hawaij For Later Use? Yes, you can! Store in a air tight jar and keep it in your pantry shelve. It will last for 2 months. If you want to extend shelf life then keep it in refrigerator for 6 to 8 months.

    2) Marinate The Chicken

    Marinate the chicken for 4 hours with Mandi spice mix and drizzle olive oil over it to make it more juicy, moist, and tender after baking.

    3) Prepare Rice

    In the same way, soak the rice for 30 minutes. Now in a heated pan, add oil and saute chopped onions. As onion becomes translucent then add crushed ginger garlic and saute for few more minutes. Add Mandi spice mix and give it a good mix. Turn of heat and add a handful of raisins to make it fluffy.

    4) Baking

    Now In a baking dish, add soaked rice and pour all the sauteed onion mixture. Add salt and give it a gentle mix. Now add hot boiling water and mix well. Cover the pan using aluminum foil. Mark the aluminium foil to make a vessel for steam.

    Now it's ready to go in the oven. Preheat the oven at 250°C or 482°F. Bake for 01 Hour.

    Broil the chicken (heating from upside) before 15 minutes to get the best color on chicken.

    Now it's ready to take out after an hour. Serve in a Mandi platter. First make a rice layer then place chicken over it. Garnish with cilantro and almonds.

    Now it's ready to eat! Enjoy!

    Mandi
    Mandi

    A family favorite and most delicious recipe of Arabic Cuisine! Here I am trying to make this recipe in an easy way that everybody can easily and quickly make in their home kitchen.

    Chicken Mandi Video

    Watch - How Did I Make It?
    I am so happy to share this delicious and family favorite 'Chicken Mandi' recipe that will help you to quickly prepare in the oven. Arabic people call it "مندي الدجاج". So if you are looking at how to make mandi at home the have a look at a video recipe that will help you get quick steps.

    Chicken Mandi [Video]

    Share this recipe with your family and friends. It would be great if you leave your feedback in the comment box. If you make this recipe at home then share a picture with the hashtag #hinzcooking

    Easy Tips

    1. Make sure the chicken is not watery at the time of marination. If chicken releases water then evaporate it while baking. Chicken need to be fully cooked, moist, and tender.
    2. Hawaij spice mix can be prepared with whole spices. If using whole spices then grind it to make a powder.
    3. To get the golden brown chicken, broil it for 15 minutes.
    4. Make sure to maintain the accurate ratio of soaked rice and water to bake in the oven.
    5. Turmeric and Saffron powder will add the signature yellowish color to Mandi.
    6. Avoid adding extra oil/fat in Mandi otherwise, it will be too heavy to eat.
    7. You can adjust the salt quantity accordingly as per your taste.
    8. Gently remove the aluminum foil right after baking as it will be steamy. Give it 10 minutes to open the foil.
    9. You can garnish dry fruits as per your choice like peanuts, almonds, and black raisins.

    Serving Idea

    There is a special mandi sauce or dip called Zahawig in Yemen, Dakoos in Saudi Arabia. It's a mix of fresh tomatoes, garlic, lemon, chilies, salt, and coriander. Gather all ingredients in a blend and give it a good blend and it will be ready to serve. You can also serve the same sauce with other Arabic rice and meat; like Kabsa, Maqluba, Madfoon, Mandi, and Bukhari Rice.  

    Serve Chicken Mandi with Dakous (Arabic Tomato Sauce)

    chicken mandi
    chicken mandi
    dakoos - dakous
    dakoos - dakous

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    chicken mandi
    Print Pin
    5 from 5 votes

    Chicken Mandi (Yemeni Rice)

    Chicken Mandi Recipe is the most popular baked Yemeni rice with chicken that people love to make and serve on festive occasions. I would say, the ultimate taste of Arabic chicken and rice is pentrated in Yemeni Mandi. Family favorite dish of Arabian cuisine.
    Course Main Course, Rice
    Cuisine Arabic
    Keyword Chicken Mandi, Mandi
    Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes
    Chicken Marination 4 hours hours
    Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Servings 3 Persons
    Calories 519kcal
    Author Hinz

    Equipment

    • Aluminum Foil
    • Baking Dish

    Ingredients

    • Hawaij Spice Mix Ingredients
    • Saffron Powder - ⅓ Tsp
    • Turmeric Powder - ½ Tsp
    • Salt - 1 Tsp
    • Black Pepper Powder - ½ Tsp
    • Coriander Powder - 1 Tsp
    • Cumin Powder - 1 Tsp
    • Cinnamon Powder - ½ Tsp
    • Chili Powder - ½ Tsp
    • Garlic Powder - ½ Tsp
    • Cardamom Powder - ½ Tsp
    • Chicken Marination Ingredients
    • Chicken - 500 gms
    • Mandi Powder - 2.5 Tsp
    • Olive Oil - 1 Tbsp
    • Mandi Rice Ingredients
    • Rice - 2.5 Cups uncooked
    • Oil - 1 Tbsp
    • Chopped Onions - 1 Cup
    • Garlic Ginger Crushed - 1 Tsp
    • Mandi Powder - 2 Tsp Hawaij (that we prepared)
    • Raisins - Handful
    • Salt - 1 Tsp
    • Hot Water - 4 Cups
    • Almonds - Handful Soaked and without skin

    Instructions

    • Let's prepare the Hawaij spice mix. In a bowl, add all Hawaij ingredients (Saffron Powder, Turmeric Powder, Salt, Black Pepper Powder, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, Cinnamon Powder, Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Cardamom Powder).
    • Mix well.
    • Marinate the Chicken:
    • In a bowl, add chicken and sprinkle mandi spice mix.
    • Now give it a good mix so the whole chicken coat with spices.
    • Drizzle olive oil and again give it a good mix.
    • Keep in airtight container and marinate for 3 to 4 hours or overnight is the best.
    • In the meanwhile, set the baking dish with aluminium foil.
    • After marination, place the chicken in dish and now it's ready to go in the oven.
    • Rice Preparation:
    • In a bowl, add uncooked rice. Wash and soak for an hour.
    • In a heating frying pan, add chopped onion and saute for few minutes.
    • As the onions starts to change color then add crushed ginger garlic and give it a good mix.
    • Turn of heat and add handful golden raisins and give it a good mix.
    • In a baking dish, add soaked rice and pour all the sauteed onion mixture.
    • Add salt and give it a gentle mix.
    • Now add hot boiling water and mix well.
    • Cover the pan using aluminum foil.
    • Mark the aluminium foil to make a vessel for steam.
    • Now it's ready to go in the oven.
    • Preheat the oven at 250°C or 482°F
    • Bake for 01 Hour.
    • Broil the chicken (heating from upside) before 15 minutes to get the best color on chicken.
    • Now it's ready to take out after an hour.
    • Serve in a Mandi platter.
    • First make a rice layer then place chicken over it.
    • Garnish with cilantro and almonds.
    • Now it's ready to eat! Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    • Release chicken water after washing. Make sure the chicken is not watery at the time of marination. The moist chicken absorbs the marination more quickly. 
    • Homemade Hawaij spice mix is good in taste as compared to ready-made.
    • Mandi spice mix can be prepared with whole spices. If using whole spices then grind it to make a powder.
    • Broil the chicken for 15 minutes to get the signature Mandi color.
    • Make sure to maintain the accurate ratio of soaked rice and water to bake in the oven.
    • Turmeric and Saffron powder will add the signature yellowish color to Mandi.
    • Avoid adding extra oil/fat in Mandi otherwise, it will be too heavy to eat.
    • Gently remove the aluminum foil right after baking as it will be steamy. Give it 10 minutes to open the foil.
    • You can garnish dry fruits as per your choice like peanuts, almonds, and black raisins.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 519kcal

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ayesha

      June 02, 2021 at 2:05 pm

      5 stars
      Easy to Make Chicken Mandi at home - اسهل مندي دجاج و مدخن في الفرن

      Reply
    5 from 5 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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