Bahrain Spiced Chicken & Rice Recipe (Chicken Machboos) Is An Aromatic High-Protein Dinner High Protein Recipes High Fiber Recipes Chicken Recipes Dinner Asian Recipes Middle Eastern Recipes Grains Spices

Chicken Machboos, or Machboos ala Dajaj (spiced chicken and rice), is considered the national dish of Bahrain. Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in Western Asia. Some of the key ingredients in Chicken Machboos is skin-on chicken, rice, lime and ghee, or clarified butter.

This chicken and rice recipe is loaded with aromatic spices. The raisins add a sweetness to the dish and the lime adds just the right amount of tartness. Like biryani? Then you're going to love Chicken Machboos.

Here is your shopping list for this high-protein and high-fiber spiced chicken and rice recipe: ground turmeric (check out the health benefits of turmeric), fennel seeds, ground cumin, coriander seeds, chicken thighs or legs, ghee or olive oil, onion, fresh garlic, cinnamon sticks, star anise, limes for juicing, cardamom pods, chicken broth, tomatoes (check out the health benefits of tomatoes), raisins (check out the health benefits of raisins) and basmati rice. For color, you can also grab some fresh parsley. 

Serve the aromatic skillet chicken and rice for dinner with your desired side dishes. A fresh vegetable or salad would round out the meal.

Cuisine: Middle Eastern / Asian
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

Spices

• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed

Chicken and Rice

• 4 large chicken thighs or chicken legs, bone-in and skin-on
• 4 tablespoons ghee or olive oil (divided)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced 
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 star anise
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
• 6 cardamom pods, pierced with a knife
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 6 tablespoons raisins
• 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed
• chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)

Here's how to make it: 

1. Combine all the spices in a small bowl. Sprinkle the chicken with a little of the spice mix. Set aside remaining spice mix.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee or olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and brown on all sides. Remove to a plate. 
3. Add the onions and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, remaining spice mix, cinnamon sticks, star anise (if using) cardamom and lime juice. Cook, stirring, for about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, tomato and raisins. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Put the chicken back into the pan. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook about 15 minutes. 
4. Remove the cinnamon sticks (discard) and put the chicken back onto a plate. Add the rice, cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Once it has evaporated, reduce heat to low and cook another 15 minutes. 
5. While the rice cooks, heat the remaining olive oil in another skillet. Add the chicken and cook to brown and crisp the skin, about 5 minutes. (Chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F internal temperature on a food thermometer.)
6. To serve, pile the rice on a plate and top with the chicken. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired. Store any leftovers in an airtight container and reheat in the microwave.

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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