Saudi Kabsa: Fragrant Spiced Rice and Chicken in One Pot

⏱ Prep: 20 min 🔥Cook: 1 hr 15 min 👤Serves: 6 🌍Origin: Saudi Arabia

Saudi kabsa is widely considered the national dish of Saudi Arabia, chicken simmered until tender in a richly spiced tomato broth, that very broth then used to cook the basmati rice that absorbs everything the chicken left behind. It’s warmly spiced rather than fiery hot, with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and dried lime giving the whole pot a fragrance that’s instantly recognizable across the Gulf. Finished with toasted almonds and raisins, it’s the dish that shows up at every Saudi celebration, served on a big shared platter for the whole table to dig into together.

Ingredients

For the kabsa spice mix

• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the chicken and broth

• 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces, or 6 bone-in thighs and drumsticks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 dried limes (loomi), pierced, or substitute with the zest and juice of 2 fresh limes
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cardamom pods
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt to taste
• 5 cups water

For the rice

• 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes

For the garnish

• 2 tablespoons ghee or butter
• ⅓ cup raw almonds
• ⅓ cup raisins
• Fresh parsley, chopped

Step by step

1. Make the spice mix. Combine all the kabsa spice mix ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Sear the chicken. Heat the oil or ghee in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
3. Build the broth. In the same pot, sauté the onion until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and the kabsa spice mix, cooking for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Return the chicken to the pot along with the dried limes, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, bay leaves, salt, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30–35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Cook the rice. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Strain the broth, discarding the whole spices and dried limes. Return the broth to the pot, you should have about 4 cups; top up with water if needed. Add the drained rice, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to low heat. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.Cooking the rice in the same broth the chicken simmered in is what gives kabsa its cohesive, deeply infused flavor, don’t swap in plain water here.
5. Finish the chicken. While the rice cooks, broil or grill the chicken pieces for 8–10 minutes until lightly charred and golden.
6. Garnish and serve. Melt the ghee in a small pan and toast the almonds and raisins until golden, about 2–3 minutes. Fluff the rice onto a large serving platter, top with the chicken, and scatter the toasted almonds, raisins, and parsley over the top. Serve warm.

Why the rice cooks in the chicken broth

Kabsa’s defining trait is that the rice is never cooked separately from the chicken, it’s simmered in the very broth the chicken just finished cooking in, soaking up every bit of spice, tomato, and dried lime along the way. That single step is what separates kabsa from a generic spiced rice pilaf with chicken on top.

Make it your own

Claire’s note

Lamb or beef work in place of chicken using the same method, just adjust the simmer time until the meat is tender. If dried lime (loomi) isn’t available, fresh lime zest and juice gets you most of the way there, with a slightly brighter, less tangy-bitter result. Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 3 days, reheat gently with a splash of water or broth so the rice doesn’t dry out.

Serve with

Saudi kabsa is traditionally served with a side of fresh tomato salsa or a simple green salad to cut through the richness. For everything else on the table the complete Middle Eastern recipes collection has it all.

Add Saudi kabsa to your weekly meal planner as the centerpiece for your next family gathering. And for more recipes, follow us on Pinterest.

Saudi Kabsa

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

• Author: Claire Bennett
• Total Time: 95 minutes
• Yield: 6 servings 1x
• Diet: None

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

A traditional Saudi dish featuring tender chicken simmered in a richly spiced tomato broth, served over flavorful basmati rice and garnished with almonds and raisins.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces, or 6 bone-in thighs and drumsticks
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 dried limes (loomi), pierced, or zest and juice of 2 fresh limes
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cardamom pods
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt to taste
• 5 cups water
• 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 tablespoons ghee or butter for garnish
• ⅓ cup raw almonds
• ⅓ cup raisins
• Fresh parsley, chopped

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Make the spice mix. Combine all the kabsa spice mix ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
2. Sear the chicken. Heat the oil or ghee in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken pieces and brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
3. Build the broth. In the same pot, sauté the onion until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant. Stir in the tomatoes, tomato paste, and the kabsa spice mix, cooking for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Return the chicken to the pot along with the dried limes, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, bay leaves, salt, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30–35 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
4. Cook the rice. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Strain the broth, discarding the whole spices and dried limes. Return the broth to the pot, you should have about 4 cups; top up with water if needed. Add the drained rice, bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to low heat. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
5. Finish the chicken. While the rice cooks, broil or grill the chicken pieces for 8–10 minutes until lightly charred and golden.
6. Garnish and serve. Melt the ghee in a small pan and toast the almonds and raisins until golden, about 2–3 minutes. Fluff the rice onto a large serving platter, top with the chicken, and scatter the toasted almonds, raisins, and parsley over the top. Serve warm.

Notes

Lamb or beef can be used instead of chicken. Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water or broth.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 75 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Simmering and Grilling
• Cuisine: Middle Eastern

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 550
• Sugar: 7g
• Sodium: 450mg
• Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Unsaturated Fat: 10g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 62g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 30g
• Cholesterol: 80mg