Do you have a weekend party approaching? Delight your guests with chicken Kabsa — the Arabian-style chicken recipe. This spiced grilled chicken pairs well with basmati rice, making it the perfect choice for any reason and occasion! 

When it comes to food, almost everyone loves relishing something that’s new. Look around, and you’ll find hundreds of ideas and inspiration. The culinary world gives you an abundance when it comes to discovering new cuisines and cultures. 

The chicken kabsa recipe hails from the land of Saudi Arabia. It’s versatile and each neighboring country has its own version ready to take your taste-buds on a flavourful journey. What’s best about chicken kabsa is that it’s a one-pot recipe, means no more pans and pots to deal with after cooking. 

Here’s how you can prepare the chicken kabsa recipe at home.

• Preparation time: 15 minutes
• Cook time: 2 hrs
• Total time: 2 hrs 15 minutes. 

Ingredients required:

For Kabsa Spice Mix

• 1/4 tsp white pepper powder (ground pepper powder)
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder (ground cardamom powder)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder (ground cinnamon)
• 1/2 tsp all spice powder
• 1/2 tsp dried whole lime powder
• 1/4 tsp saffron

For chicken kabsa:

• 2 tbsp oil (you can use butter as well)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic or garlic paste
• 1 tbsp minced ginger or ginger paste
• 3 sliced onions
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 1 green chili
• 6 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg or nutmeg powder
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander or coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper or black pepper powder
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin or cumin powder
• 2 tbsp tomato puree or tomato paste
• 3 tomatoes chopped or 200 g canned diced tomatoes
• 3 medium carrots (thinly sliced)
• 1 1/2 kg whole chicken (cut into 6 pieces)
• 2 chicken stock cubes
• 3 cups basmati rice (rinsed)
• 1/4 cup raisins
• Salt to taste
• Water
• Slivered almonds to garnish (you can skip it)
• Raisins to garnish (optional)

Cooking method:

• First of all, we will make the kabsa spice mix. For this, combine all the spices (white pepper, cardamom, all spies, lime powder, cinnamon, and saffron) together. Once mixed, set it aside. 
• Now, take a heavy-bottomed pan and heat oil in it. Set the heat to medium-high. Toss green chillies, bay leaves, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and sauté for a few seconds. Add sliced onions and cook until golden brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute until the raw fragrance goes away.
• Add tomato puree to the mix along with black pepper, nutmeg, cumin, and coriander powder. Also add kabsa spice and mix well. Season it with salt and sauté for a minute. Now, add diced tomatoes and carrots to the mix. Stir it well and cook it for about two minutes. 
• It’s time to add chicken pieces! Add chicken pieces and cubes to the mix. Cook until the chicken turns brown. Once cooked, take out the chicken pieces and set it aside. 
• Now, add raisins and rice to the remaining spice. Add 4 cups of water, season with salt and bring the rice to boil. Lower the flame, cover it with a lid and simmer it for about 10 to 15 minutes. 
• Preheat the grill and grill those cooked chicken for about 15 minutes or until it’s cooked thoroughly. Serve the chicken kabsa rice hot!

Notes and instructions:

• You can find the whole lime powder in any Middle Eastern grocery shop.
• You can use pre-cooked or leftover basmati rice for the same. Just add raisins and cooked rice and sauté it for a minute or two. It will reduce the cooking time.
• You can adjust the spices according to your needs. 

So, get set ready for that weekend bash you’ve always been eyeing on. Wear your apron and show your culinary skills with chicken kabsa recipe.