Kuwaiti Chicken Machboos - Machboos Al-dajaj Al-kuwaiti
  1. First, wash the rice and then soak it in water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

  2. Mix the rosewater with the saffron threads, add filtered water until you have half a cup of mixture, then set aside.

  3. In a skillet on medium-high heat, caramelize the onions- about 10-15 minutes.

  4. Add a tablespoon of water to aid in the caramelization process if needed. Then, mix in the spices and salt.

  5. Place the split chickpeas in a pot and cover them with water and boil for about 20-30 minutes, then drain them and set aside.

  6. After the onions have caramelized, add in the drained raisins, cooked split chickpeas, and a tablespoon of ghee and mix well. Remove from heat and set aside.

  7. Wash the chicken thoroughly, then stuff it with two tablespoons of stuffing.

  8. Use a cooking needle and thread to sew up the open end of the chicken to prevent the stuffing from falling out while boiling.

  9. Prepare a large pot of water, add chicken boiling spices and boil the chicken for approximately one hour or until fully cooked.

  10. Ensure that the water level in the pot is only 2cm above the chicken.

  11. Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the water and strain the remaining water.

  12. Return the water to the pot and keep it on low heat until needed.

  13. Place the chicken on a flat plate or tray, spread some rosewater and saffron mix on the entire chicken, and set it aside.

  14. Heat some ghee over high heat in a large saucepan and fry the stuffed chicken on all sides until it turns golden and crispy.

  15. Keep the ghee used for frying the chicken for later.

  16. After the chicken cools down, remove the thread and set it aside.

  17. Add soaked rice to a pot and then cover the rice with the reserved chicken cooking water by about 1cm or until the water reaches the first line on your index finger.

  18. Turn the heat on high and cook the rice until all the water evaporates and little holes start to appear in the rice.

  19. At this point, lower the heat all the way down, then add two tablespoons of the rosewater saffron mix to one side of the rice pot.

  20. We only want to flavor it a little and not overpower the flavor.

  21. Next, add about two tablespoons of the reserved ghee to the rice.

  22. Add the remaining stuffing to the other side of the pot, then place the fried chicken next to it.

  23. Finally, cover and keep it on low heat for about 30 minutes.

  24. First, remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a plate, then remove the stuffing and then start taking some rice from the pot and distribute it in your serving platter.

  25. Top the rice with the chicken, then place some of the stuffing on the side.

  26. Serve with Kuwaiti Tomato Sauce (Daqoos) and a fresh green salad.

Course🍽️Main Course

Diets🥩Carnivore...

Category🍽️Main Dish

CuisineKuwaiti

Occasions📆Everyday🎉Festive

Season🔁Year-round

DifficultyMedium ⏰ 1h30m

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