Chicken Kabsa Recipe (Machboos) — Authentic Saudi Arabian Rice & Chicken

Chicken Kabsa (Machboos), Saudi Arabia’s beloved national dish, features tender chicken simmered in a fragrant tomato and dried lemon spiced broth, then served over aromatic stock-infused rice. This authentic one-pot Arabic rice dish is deeply comforting, richly spiced, and perfect for family dinners or special gatherings.

5 from 7 votes

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Course: Main Course, Rice

Cuisine: Arabic

Keyword: chicken kabsa, chicken kabsa recipe, kabsa rice, saudi chicken kabsa

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 35

Servings: Persons

Calories: 580kcal

Author: Hinz

Ingredients

250 gms Chicken
1.5 cups Soaked Basmati Rice
1 tablespoon Oil
½ cup Onion chopped
1 teaspoon Ginger Grated
1 teaspoon Garlic Grated
1.5 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon Cardamom Powder
½ teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
½ teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
½ teaspoon Garlic Powder
1 Dried Lemon
1.5 teaspoon Tomato Paste
1 cup Fresh Tomato Cubes
2 glasses Water
Kabsa Topping
1 tablespoon Almonds boiled, peeled & roasted
½ tablespoon Raisins roasted

Instructions

Soak the rice: Wash 3 cups basmati rice, soaked 30 minutes and drained under cold running water until the water runs completely clear. Soak in cold water for exactly 30 minutes 30:00 — no longer, or the rice will turn mushy during cooking. Drain fully and set aside.
Sauté onion, ginger & garlic: Heat 1 tablespoons cooking oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 0.5 cups onion, finely chopped and sauté for 5–8 minutes 08:00 until soft and translucent. Add 1 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated and 1 teaspoons fresh garlic, grated and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Seal the chicken: Add 500 grams bone-in chicken pieces — legs and thighs, skin removed to the pot and increase heat to high. Cook for 4–5 minutes 05:00, turning to seal all sides, until the chicken changes color from pink to white. The chicken does not need to cook through here — it will finish in the broth.
Add spices, tomatoes & dried lemon: Season with 1.5 teaspoons salt, 0.5 teaspoons cardamom powder, 0.5 teaspoons black pepper powder, 0.5 teaspoons cinnamon powder, and 0.5 teaspoons garlic powder. Stir and cook for 4 minutes 04:00 to bloom the spices. Add 1.5 teaspoons tomato paste and stir to coat the chicken. Add 1 cups fresh tomatoes, peeled and diced and 1 dried lemon (loomi / black lime) — pierced twice with a knife. Cook on high heat for 3–4 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes break down into a thick gravy. The dried lemon will begin releasing its smoky, tangy depth into the base.
Simmer chicken in stock: Add 3 cups hot water (for stock) and stir to combine. Cover the pot and cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes 20:00. The chicken will finish cooking and absorb the tomato, dried lemon, and spice flavors all the way through. After 20 minutes, carefully remove the chicken pieces and place in a baking dish. Reserve the stock in the pot.
Broil the chicken: Preheat oven to 220°C / 430°F (broil / top grill setting). Brush the chicken lightly with a teaspoon of oil or fat skimmed from the top of the stock. Place on the top rack and broil for 10–11 minutes 11:00 until the skin is deep golden-brown with lightly charred edges. Watch closely from the 8-minute mark — the chicken is already cooked through and only needs color.
Cook rice in the Kabsa stock: Check the stock level — you need approximately 4.5 cups of liquid for 3 cups basmati rice, soaked 30 minutes and drained. Top up with hot water if needed. Taste for salt — it should be slightly saltier than you want the final rice, as the rice will absorb it. Remove and discard the dried lemon. Add the drained rice, stir once gently. Bring to a boil on high heat, then immediately reduce to the lowest setting. Cover tightly and cook for 18–20 minutes 20:00.
Rest the rice: Remove from heat and let the rice rest, covered and undisturbed, for 5 minutes 05:00. Do not lift the lid — the trapped steam finishes the cooking and separates the grains.
Roast the garnish: While the rice rests, heat ½ teaspoon of oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons blanched almonds, roasted and stir for 2–3 minutes 03:00 until golden. Add 1 tablespoons golden raisins, roasted in the last 30 seconds only — raisins burn quickly. Remove from heat immediately.
Plate and serve: Spread the rice across a large serving platter. Place the broiled chicken pieces on top. Scatter 2 tablespoons blanched almonds, roasted, 1 tablespoons golden raisins, roasted, 0.3 cups fresh cilantro, for garnish, and 0.3 cups shredded carrots, pan-fried — optional garnish over everything. Serve immediately alongside a bowl of Dakkous Arabic tomato sauce — the essential Kabsa condiment. The sauce's acidity cuts directly through the richness of the spiced stock rice.

Video

Notes

Dried lemon (Loomi): Non-negotiable for authentic Kabsa flavor. Find it in Middle Eastern or Arabic grocery stores labelled "loomi," "black lime," or "noomi basra." Pierce twice with a knife before adding. Substitute: ½ teaspoon dried lime powder, or 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice added at the end.
Skinless chicken: Remove skin before cooking — skin releases too much fat into the broth and makes it greasy. The broil step later gives the chicken its color without the skin.
Water ratio for rice: 1.5 cups liquid per 1 cup soaked basmati. Always measure your stock before adding rice and top up with hot water if needed. This is the most common failure point.
Mushy rice fix: Reduce soaking time to 30 minutes exactly, measure liquid carefully, and cook on the lowest possible heat.
Undercooked rice fix: Not enough liquid, or lid was lifted during cooking. Keep the lid on for the full cook time and the 5-minute rest.
Make-ahead: Steps 1–5 (chicken + stock) can be made 24 hours ahead and refrigerated. Skim solidified fat from cold stock before reheating. Complete the rice step fresh before serving.
Storage: Refrigerator — rice and chicken separately, airtight containers, 3 days. Freezer — individual portions, 2 months. Reheat rice with 2 tablespoon water, covered, 2–3 minutes microwave.
Serve with: Dakkous Arabic tomato sauce · Baba Ganoush (without Tahini) · Bazlama flatbread · Shish Tawook · Karak Chai to finish.

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