Go Back
+ servings
Chicken Maqluba (Maklouba Recipe) Palestinian Rice Dish

Chicken Maqluba (Maklouba Recipe) - Palestinian Rice Dish

Chicken Maqluba recipe is a popular Lebanese and Palestinian rice dish prepared with delicate layers of vegetables, meat, and rice. In the Middle East, people call it Makloubeh or Maklouba. The exciting and fun part of this dish is the flipping pot just to show upside down all the layers of veggies and meat with rice.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Keyword: chicken maqluba, maklouba recipe, makloubeh
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 3 Persons
Calories: 536kcal

Equipment

  • Maqluba Pot Use any deep pot to make maqluba layers and cook rice

Ingredients

  • 500 g Chicken with bones
  • 2.5 cups Basmati Rice
  • 2 tablespoon Oil 2
  • Vegetables:
  • 8 slices Capsicum
  • 15 slices Potatoes
  • 15 slices Onion
  • 10 slices Eggplant
  • 6 slices Tomatoes
  • Maqluba Spice Ingredients:
  • 3 inches Cinnamon Sticks
  • 5 Green Cardamom
  • 5 Cloves
  • 1 teaspoon Red Chili Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Curry Powder
  • 1 tablespoon Salt
  • 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
  • Almonds For Garnish

Instructions

  • Soak basmati rice for 30 minutes.

Prepare Maqluba Spice Powder

  • In a bowl, add red chili powder, coriander powder, curry powder, turmeric powder and salt. Give it a good mix to combine all ingredients.

Wash & Cut Vegetable Slices

  • Cut all the vegetables in uniform slices. I took eggplants, potatoes, capsicum, onion, and tomatoes.
  • Stir fry all vegetables. Sprinkle Maqluba spice powder during frying as it will add taste to veggies.
  • In a pan, pour oil and heat it up.
  • Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, and green cardamom and let it pop for few seconds.
  • Add chicken and cook on high heat until the chicken start changes the color and shows a roasted effect.
  • Now add maqluba spice powder and cook on high heat to kill the spice rawness.
  • Add tomato paste and give it a good mix.
  • Add water to cook the chicken and make the thick and consisten chicken stock.
  • Cover the lid and cook the chicken on low medium heat for about 20 minutes.
  • After 20 minutes, take out tender chicken pieces from the pan. If you want, you can strain the stock.
  • In a pan, add oil and stir soaked rice for 2 minutes on medium heat. This step is optional but will add nutty taste in rice.

Layering

  • In a maqluba pot, add oil to make the base greasy. First, make a layer of eggplant, then potatoes, onion, capsicum, and tomatoes. Place chicken pieces over the vegetable layer. Now add rice and spread evenly on all sides. Pour the chicken stock. Cover the pan with Aluminum foil and cook the rice for about 20 to 25 minutes. Initially cook rice on medium heat then turn the heat to low to cook rice on steam.
  • Place the maqluba platter at the top of maqluba pot and carefully flip the pot to take out maqluba rice in upside-down position. This step is a little tricky but full of fun!
  • I used almonds to garnish the maqluba. Raisins and parsley can also be used to make tempting garnishing.

Video

Notes

  • The selection of pot to make the perfect shape of maqluba is important. Take any deep and wide and tall pot accordingly to the size of ingredients. 
  • The same recipe can be prepare with lamb or mutton. Only the cooking time to tender meat will increase. 
  • Carefully check the maqluba stock to cook rice. If the water is more then rice will get mushy. If water is less then rice will show an undercooked texture. 
  • You can cook maqluba meat in instant pot or in same way fry the veggies in air fryer. Here I prepare this recipe on stovetop.
  • Small chicken pieces will be good for small scale maqluba preparation. If you are making for restaurants then big pot and big chicken pieces will be good.
  • Never use chicken with skin. 
  • Chicken with bones makes a thick, consistent and saturated stock. 
  • Don’t soak rice for a long time. 30 minutes will be enough for basmati rice. Avoid frying the veggies for a long time otherwise, they will get soggy and will not look good while stacking. Use long grain basmati rice.

Nutrition

Serving: 100g | Calories: 536kcal