Give your tastebuds an international experience by following along with this amazing chicken Machboos recipe! In Qatar, this is a traditional dish enjoyed by everyone, be it at home or in restaurants. When making the spiced chicken and rice dish from this recipe, expect deep and complex flavors, crispy and delicate chicken, and the comfort and warmth of a true home-cooked meal! It’s filling, flavourful, and perfect for a family dinner!
The Necessary Ingredients for a Taste of Qatar
The required ingredients for about four servings of this chicken Machboos recipe from Qatar are:
- One whole chicken
- Three cups of white rice
- Six cups of water
- Two chopped onions
- Two minced cloves of garlic
- Two chopped tomatoes
- A handful of chopped coriander leaves
- Two dry black lemons, pierced
- A small piece of ginger, grated
- Ten cardamom pods
- Ten black peppercorns
- Five cloves
- Three cinnamon sticks
- Three bay leaves
- Half a teaspoon of turmeric
- A tablespoon of Qatari Machboos spice blend
- Two tablespoons of oil
Preparing Chicken Machboos
Over medium heat, saute the onion until soft in a large pot over a spoonful of olive oil. Add the garlic, cardamom, ginger, turmeric, peppercorns, curry, cinnamon, and the spice blend from Qatar. Stir for a couple of minutes until the mixture is fragrant. Add the chicken to the pot along with one chopped tomato and the black lemons. Brown the chicken on all sides and add water to the pot, covering all the ingredients. Simmer for 45 minutes.
Rinse the rice and let it sit in cold water for 30 minutes. When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot and cover it with aluminum foil. Add the rice to the pot along with coriander leaves, stir, and cook for 30 minutes. In a saucepan, saute the remaining tomato in olive oil and add the chicken to heat up. Pour the cooked rice on a serving plate, top with the chicken, and garnish with the fried tomato.