Saudi Chicken Kabsa
A one-pot Gulf classic of spiced basmati rice and tender chicken, built on a base of dried lime, warm baharat spices and slow-cooked onions.
Kabsa is the dish most Saudi households build a gathering around — it’s traditionally served on one large shared platter, chicken on top of the rice, meant to be eaten together rather than portioned onto individual plates. That communal presentation is part of the dish, so if you’re serving it for guests, resist the urge to plate it separately.
The spice blend does a lot of the work here, and every family has a version they swear by; a store-bought Gulf-style baharat or kabsa spice mix is a perfectly good starting point; if you can’t find one, a mix of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, black pepper, nutmeg and a little dried lime powder gets you close.
This recipe scales up easily for a crowd — just keep the rice-to-liquid ratio consistent (roughly 1 cup rice to 1 3/4 cups liquid) and brown the chicken in batches so it doesn’t steam instead of sear.
Ingredients
- 2 lb bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 2 cups basmati rice — rinsed until the water runs clear
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 2 dried black lime (loomi), pierced
- 2 tbsp kabsa spice blend (baharat)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
- 1/4 cup each raisins and toasted slivered almonds, for serving — optional
- 3 tbsp neutral oil or ghee
- to taste salt
Method
- Brown the chicken
Pat the chicken dry and season with salt. Brown it on all sides in the oil or ghee in a heavy pot, then remove and set aside — this step builds most of the dish's depth, so don't rush it.
- Build the base
In the same pot, cook the onion until soft and turning golden. Add the garlic and kabsa spice blend and cook for a minute until fragrant, then stir in the tomato paste and chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
- Simmer the chicken
Return the chicken to the pot, add the pierced dried limes and stock, and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25–30 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Cook the rice in the broth
Lift the chicken out and set aside. Measure the remaining broth — you want about 3 1/2 cups; top up with water if needed — bring it back to a boil, stir in the rinsed rice, cover, and cook on low heat for 18–20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
- Finish and serve
Nestle the chicken back on top of the rice to warm through for the last few minutes, or finish it briefly under the broiler for color. Serve on a large platter with the rice underneath, scattered with raisins and toasted almonds if using.
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