Description
Chicken Maqluba is a traditional Middle Eastern dish featuring layers of spiced chicken, vegetables, and fragrant rice, cooked together and flipped upside down for a stunning presentation. This flavorful one-pot meal is sure to impress at any dinner table.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken:
- 1 whole chicken (about 3–4 lbs), cut into parts or 2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs/drumsticks
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Vegetables:
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 cups eggplant, sliced into rounds
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
Rice:
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked for 20 minutes
- 4 cups chicken broth or water
Spices:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Garnish:
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds
- Chopped parsley
Instructions
- Sear the Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot and sear the chicken until golden. Set aside.
- Sauté Onions and Spices: In the same pot, sauté onions until soft. Add spices and stir for 1 minute.
- Cook Chicken: Return chicken to the pot, add broth, and simmer covered for 20–25 minutes.
- Fry Vegetables: In a skillet, fry eggplant, cauliflower, and carrots until golden.
- Assemble Maqluba: Layer vegetables, chicken, and rice in a pot. Pour in broth, cover, and simmer for 35–40 minutes.
- Flip and Serve: Invert the pot onto a platter to reveal the layered maqluba. Garnish and serve.
Notes
- Serve with yogurt or a cucumber-tomato salad.
- Consider lamb or all vegetables for variations.
- Be patient and careful when flipping the dish.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 generous slice
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 32g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
