Chicken Majboos

Name: Chicken Majboos
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 75 min
Yield: 6 portions
Cuisine: Emirati
Ingredients: 1½ kg · 3¼ lb chicken, cut in pieces; 500 g · 2½ cups basmati rice, soaked 30 minutes; 300 g · 2 onions onions, sliced; 300 g · 2 tomatoes tomatoes, chopped; 16 g · 4 cloves garlic; 15 g · 1 tbsp ginger; 15 g · 3 limes dried limes (loomi), pierced; 15 g · 2 tbsp bezar spice mix; 3 g · 1 tsp turmeric; 6 g · 2 tsp whole spices: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay, cardamom, cloves, bay; 1½ l · 6 cups water; 45 ml · 3 tbsp ghee or oil; 15 g · 1 tbsp salt; 30 ml · 2 tbsp rose water and saffron, optional; 80 g · ¾ cup fried onions, raisins and nuts, to garnish

🍽 Serves 6⏱ Prep 20 min🔥 Cook 75 min🌍 Emirati

Emirati spiced chicken and rice cooked with bezar spices, tomatoes and dried lime (loomi).

📍 United Arab Emirates

The story of the dish

Majboos (machboos) is the national dish of the Gulf, cooked by Emirati families for gatherings; dried limes and bezar reflect the old spice trade.

The name: Majboos comes from the Arabic for 'pressed in', the meat and rice cooked together.

Ingredients

Ingredient	EUg · ml	UScups · spoons
chicken cut in pieces	≈ 1½ kg	≈ 3¼ lb
basmati rice soaked 30 minutes	≈ 500 g	≈ 2½ cups
onions sliced	≈ 300 g	≈ 2 onions
tomatoes chopped	≈ 300 g	≈ 2 tomatoes
garlic	≈ 16 g	≈ 4 cloves
ginger	≈ 15 g	≈ 1 tbsp
dried limes (loomi) pierced	≈ 15 g	≈ 3 limes
bezar spice mix	≈ 15 g	≈ 2 tbsp
turmeric	≈ 3 g	≈ 1 tsp
whole spices: cinnamon cardamom, cloves, bay, cardamom, cloves, bay	≈ 6 g	≈ 2 tsp
water	≈ 1½ l	≈ 6 cups
ghee or oil	≈ 45 ml	≈ 3 tbsp
salt	≈ 15 g	≈ 1 tbsp
rose water and saffron optional	≈ 30 ml	≈ 2 tbsp
fried onions raisins and nuts, to garnish	≈ 80 g	≈ ¾ cup

≈ amount suggested from similar recipes

Tools & equipment

Item	UAEamazon.ae	USamazon.com
Vlogging Camera Dji Osmo Pocket 3	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy
Emirati Cookbook Enticing Exotic Uae Recipes	🛒 Buy	🛒 Buy

Also used: large heavy pot · oven tray · fine strainer

Method

Rub the chicken with half the bezar, turmeric and salt and marinate 30 minutes.
Fry the onions in ghee until golden, add garlic, ginger and whole spices.
Add the chicken and brown, then tomatoes, loomi and the rest of the bezar.
Add water and simmer 40 minutes; take out the chicken and roast it until golden.
Measure the broth (about 1.2 times the rice) and cook the rice in it, covered, on low heat 20 minutes.
Sprinkle saffron rose water, cover and rest 10 minutes.
Serve the rice topped with chicken, fried onions, raisins and nuts.

👨‍🍳 Chef’s tips

Pierce the dried limes so their sour, smoky flavour goes into the broth.

📱 Scan to watch me cook ityoutu.be/93dHftKh9z0Every step on video, and new recipes every week: subscribe on YouTube.

Nutrition per portion estimate · 1 of 6

680kcal

42 gprotein

72 gcarbs

23 gfat

Allergens

Milk

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▶ Watch me cook it: youtu.be/93dHftKh9z0

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