CrustyCrab
Recipes

SaudiBoneless chicken breast

Chicken Kabsa

Saudi spiced rice and chicken built in one wide braiser, the basmati cooked in a cardamom-and-cinnamon broth and steamed under foil with potatoes on top.

Calories
710kcal
Protein
57g
Carbs
75g
Fat
20g
Total, 45 min active
2 hr 30min
Servings
6

Nutrition is per serving.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups basmati rice (about ⅓ cup dry per person)
  • 3 lb boneless chicken breast
  • 2 large onions
  • 4 Yukon gold potatoes
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 2–3 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 heaping tbsp kabsa spice mix
  • 3 tbsp vegetable or coconut oil
  • Salt
  • 6–8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 tbsp butter

Steps

  1. Soak the rice. Wash the rice well and soak it in cold water at least 30 minutes. Drain before using.
  2. Prep. Cut the chicken into 2–3 in chunks, big enough to build a crust and hold together through the simmer. Dice one potato into ½–1 in pieces; these dissolve into the broth and thicken it. Cut the other three into large halves or thick wedges for the top. Quarter the onions into big chunks. Grind the cardamom and cloves in a spice grinder, or pound them into smaller pieces.
  3. Bloom the spices. Heat the oil in a wide braiser over medium heat. Cook the onions until translucent, then add the ground cardamom and cloves, the cinnamon sticks, the kabsa spice and salt. Stir well and let the spices open up in the fat.
  4. Brown the chicken. Add the chicken and toss it with the spiced onions. Keep the heat at medium-low and turn the pieces so most of the meat gets time against the bottom of the pan to build a soft crust. The salt will draw out moisture as it cooks.
  5. Simmer. Add broth to about 5 in above the meat; boneless breast releases less liquid than bone-in or dark meat, so add it sooner rather than waiting for juices to build. Add the diced potato, bring to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer.
  6. Pull the chicken. After about 20 minutes the chicken should be cooked through. Lift it out and set it aside. Keep simmering the broth with the diced potato until deeply flavorful, tasting and adjusting salt and spice as you go.
  7. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to its maximum bake setting, usually 500°F.
  8. Finish the broth. When the oven is ready, add the lime juice, garlic and butter to the braiser and bring it back to a boil over medium heat.
  9. Add the rice. Stir in the drained rice. The broth should sit about 1½ in above the rice; remove or add liquid as needed. Mix well and nestle the chicken back in.
  10. Wait for the rice to jump. Let it boil until the rice starts to dance at the surface.
  11. Top and seal. Lay the potato halves on top in a single layer and cover the braiser tightly with foil; a good seal is what steams the rice.
  12. Bake. Bake 15 minutes at the maximum setting, then lower the oven to 400°F and bake 45–50 minutes more.
  13. Rest. Take it out but don’t open the foil. Rest, sealed, 30 minutes so the steam finishes the rice, then uncover and serve.

Notes

  • Pulling the chicken while the broth keeps simmering is what stops boneless breast from drying out.
  • The pan: a wide braiser gives the rice an even layer and room for the potatoes on top. Preheat a stainless pan well before browning.
  • Broth and salt: low-sodium broth makes up for the flavor of bone-in meat. Be careful with salt early, since the broth reduces and concentrates.
  • Scaling: for a larger group, increase the kabsa spice generously; it’s forgiving.
  • Other meats: bone-in chicken, dark meat or lamb all work and stay moister; they take longer to simmer until tender, so skip pulling them out.
  • At high altitude (around 5,000 ft): water boils at a lower temperature, so the simmer can take a bit longer. Check tenderness before moving on.