A Hearty Kuwaiti Classic with Warm Spices and Rich, Savoury Flavors
Kuwaiti Chicken Machboos is a comforting rice dish built around tender chicken, aromatic spices, tomatoes, and a deeply flavoured chicken stock. The combination of baharat, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and dried black lime gives the dish a warm and distinctive character, while the raisins add a gentle touch of sweetness to balance the savoury flavours.
The rice is cooked directly in the seasoned chicken broth, allowing it to absorb the rich flavours as it becomes tender and aromatic. Golden roasted chicken is placed over the rice and finished with almonds and fresh coriander, creating a satisfying dish with contrasting textures and a beautiful balance of spice, nuttiness, and freshness.
Ingredients
750 g basmati rice (4 cups), soaked for 30 minutes
1 whole chicken (1.2–1.5 kg), cut into pieces
3 tbsp ghee
2 onions
4 garlic cloves
2 tomatoes
2 tsp baharat
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
½ tsp turmeric
½ tsp cinnamon
2 dried black limes
Salt and pepper, to taste
5½ cups chicken stock
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup almonds
Fresh coriander
Method
Prepare the Rice: Wash the rice thoroughly and soak it in water for 30 minutes. Drain well and keep it ready for cooking.
Brown the Chicken: Heat the ghee in a large pot and brown the chicken pieces. Add the onions, garlic and tomatoes, then cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
Build the Spiced Broth: Add the baharat, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon and dried black limes. Pour in the chicken stock and allow everything to simmer for approximately 25 minutes, letting the chicken cook and the broth develop its rich flavour.
Cook the Rice: Remove the chicken from the pot and reserve the broth. Add the drained rice to the broth and cook until tender. During the final 5 minutes of cooking, add the raisins so they soften and add a gentle sweetness to the rice.
Roast and Assemble: Roast the cooked chicken until it becomes golden and lightly crisp. Arrange the rice on a serving platter, place the roasted chicken over it and garnish with almonds and fresh coriander.
Serve
Serve Kuwaiti Chicken Machboos hot with daqqus, cucumber yogurt and Arabic salad. Warm khubz bread can also be served alongside, making the meal more complete and adding a simple accompaniment to the richly spiced chicken and rice.