Chicken Kabsa recipe by morEwish

There’s something incredibly comforting about a dish that fills your home with rich, aromatic spices and brings the whole family together. Chicken Kabsa is one such dish—a Middle Eastern favorite that combines spiced, tender chicken with fragrant basmati rice, all cooked in a single pot for maximum flavor.

While this may not be the most traditional or authentic Kabsa recipe, it is the version my family and I absolutely love. It’s inspired by the flavors I experienced in Saudi Arabia, and after trying multiple variations, this recipe comes very close to the taste I remember. It’s now a staple in my home, and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do!

What is Chicken Kabsa?

Chicken Kabsa is a popular rice dish from Saudi Arabia and the Gulf region. It features perfectly seasoned chicken, cooked with warm spices, tomatoes, and dry limes (loomi), giving it a tangy depth and smoky aroma. The chicken is often roasted for a crispy finish, while the rice absorbs all the delicious flavors from the broth, creating an incredibly rich and satisfying meal.

This dish is often served with a side of yogurt sauce, fresh salads, or pickled vegetables, making it a complete and hearty meal. It’s not only delicious but also visually impressive.

Step by Step Cooking Instructions:

Step 1: Prepare the Base

1. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat the oil over medium heat.

2. Add the onion, garlic paste, ginger paste, and tomato paste. Sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become soft and translucent.

Step 2: Toast the Spices

3. Add the whole spices (bay leaves, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and dry lime) along with raisins and all the ground kabsa spice mix (reserve 2 tablespoons for later).

4. Stir and toast the spices for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

Step 3: Sear the Chicken

5. Add the chicken leg quarters, skin side down, and coat them well in the spice mixture.

6. Sear the chicken for 5-7 minutes, until the skin is golden brown and crispy.

Step 4: Cook the Chicken

7. Pour in the pureed tomatoes and stir well to combine.

8. Cover the pot and let the chicken simmer on low heat for about 30-40 minutes.

Step 5: Roast the Chicken for Extra Flavor

9. Preheat your oven to broil.

10. Remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a baking tray.

11. Sprinkle the reserved Kabsa spice mix over the chicken.

12. Broil in the oven for 5-10 minutes, until the skin is crispy and golden.

Step 6: Cook the Rice

13. While the chicken is roasting, add the rinsed basmati rice into the same pot with the tomato and spice-infused broth.

14. Pour in enough water to cook the rice and add salt to taste.

15. Stir well, then cover and let the rice cook over low heat for 20 minutes, until fluffy and tender.

Step 7: Let It All Steam Together

16. Once the rice is cooked, place the roasted chicken back on top of the rice.

17. Cover the pot and let everything steam for another 10-15 minutes.

Step 8: Assemble & Serve

18. Transfer the rice to a serving platter and arrange the roasted chicken on top.

19. Garnish with raisins, toasted slivered almonds, and chopped parsley.

Tips for the Perfect Chicken Kabsa

✅ Use long-grain basmati rice – Soaking the rice ensures fluffier results.

✅ Dry limes (loomi) add a signature tangy depth – Don’t skip them!

✅ Broiling the chicken enhances the flavor – It adds a delicious roasted taste.

✅ Let the rice and chicken steam together – This enhances the flavors and makes the dish extra aromatic.

✅ For extra richness, you can add ghee or butter – Just a tablespoon at the end makes a big difference!

Instagram Reel:

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Ingredients:

For the Chicken & Base
¼ cup oil (vegetable or olive oil)
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
¼ cup tomato paste
1 yellow onion, diced
2 tomatoes, pureed
2 lbs (around 3 to 4) chicken leg quarters with skin
¼ cup raisins (adds a touch of sweetness)

Whole Spices (for that deep aroma!)
4 bay leaves
6 cardamom pods
6 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
3 dry lime (loomi) (a must for authentic flavor!)

Kabsa Spice Mix
2 teaspoons coriander
½ teaspoon cardamom
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons chili powder or paprika
2 teaspoons 7-spice mix (or substitute with a mix of allspice, nutmeg, and cumin)

For the Rice
3 cups basmati rice, rinsed well and soaked
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Water (as needed for cooking rice)

Optional Garnishes
Raisins
Slivered toasted almonds
Chopped parsley

Why We Love This Version

This Chicken Kabsa recipe may not be 100% authentic, but it tastes incredibly close to what I had in Saudi Arabia. It has become a family favorite, and I love how the flavors develop every time I make it. The combination of warm spices, tender chicken, and fragrant rice makes it the ultimate comfort food.

Have you tried Chicken Kabsa before? Let me know in the comments below!

> This recipe is adapted from Moribyan’s Chicken Kabsa recipe, with tweaks to suit my family’s taste!

 

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Masalay wali Biryani بریانی recipe by morEwish

 

Biryani is a celebration of all that is great about Pakistani cuisine – the heady aromas, the vibrant colours, the fluffy rice and those addictive curry flavours.

Biryani - is a savory meat and rice dish of Indian sub-continent that includes layers of meat, rice, and aromatics that are steamed together. The succulent meat bursting with flavor from spices, herbs, and aromatics, while the top layer of rice absorb all that flavours, giving it a tender and rich flavor. I personally prefer to cook the onions separately, as it allows you to fully caramelize them that contrasts the spicy, savory meat. But you can cook it like we cook our regural masala to save some time (and dishes).

For the rice, I love to use long grain basmati rice, you can use sella rice as well. A quick par-boil with bay leaves and cumin infuses some deghi flavor, while ensuring the rice is tender enough steam after the Biryani is assembled.

You might find the ingredients list little long – but you’ll find everything at the local grocery stores. And while there are a number of steps to make Biryani, it is actually quite a straightforward recipe.

Video in Urdu:

Video in English:

Ingredients:

Meat (chicken, lamb, beef) - 3 1/2 - 4  lbs

Onion 1 cup, fried

Garlic 1 tablespoon

Ginger 1 tablespoon

Aloo bikhara (dried plump) 100 gms

Whole garam masala 2 tablespoon, including -

• Cumin 1 teaspoon
• Cinammon stick 1 
• Bay leaves 2 -3
• Ani star seed (badyan ka phool) 1-2
• Cardamom (ilaichi) 6-7
• Black cardamom (bari ilaichi) 2-3
• Black peppercorn (sabut kali mirch) 8-10
• Cloves (long) 5-7
• Mace and Nutmeg (jaifal and javatri) 1/4 teaspoon each

Chicken cube (optional) 1

Salt 2 teaspoon, or to taste (1 teaspoon if using chicken cube)

Red chili powder 3 -4 tablespoon

Coriander powder 1 tablespoon

Cumin (roasted and crushed) - 1 tablespoon

Yogurt 1/4 cup

Tomatoes 200 gm, thinly sliced (make it 250 if you are not using yogurt)

Green chilies 8 -10

Cilantro chopped 1/2 cup

Mint chopped 1/4 cup

Kewra water 3 tablespoon

Safron threads a pinch mixed in 1 tablespoon of warm water 

Chaat masala 1 -2 tablespoon

Garam masala 1 tablespoon

Orange food color 1 teaspoon

Rice:

Rice 2 lbs, 4 -5 cups - long grain basmati or sella rice, pre soaked for atleast 30 minutes

Salt 4 - 5 teaspoon, or to taste

Bay leaves 2 -3

Cumin 2 tablespoon

Black cumin 2 tablespoon

Cardamom powder 1/2 teaspoon

Nutmeg and mace (jaifal n jawatri) powder 1/2 teaspoon

Oil

Prawn Biryani جھینگا بریانی recipe by morEwish

Shrimp/Prawn Biryani is spicy, hearty, wholesome meal, made with rice and shrimp. The warm flavors of cooked curried shrimps cooked in authentic pakistani spices, layered with fragrant rice make this an ultimate dish! 

Biryani – my non desi readers if you dont know what biryani is, essentially, it’s your favourite curry made with protein of your choice, buried under a mound of delicately spiced fluffy rice, all made in one pot. The rice is steamed over a low heat so it absorbs the flavours of the curry bubbling away underneath. The heady aromas, the vibrant colours, the fluffy rice and those addictive curry flavours, I am literally drooling right now and getting hangry for Biryani! 

This time for a change I decided to add shrimps in my biryani, same flavorful and aromatic spicy rice with seafood curry was best to enjoy in this season. You just have to be little careful while cooking. Shrimp cook really quickly. For the best result, add shrimp in the end when curry is completely done and cook on high heat. It gives them the best texture, juicy and tender, without any stringy chewiness. At the same time I prefer to buy prawns already deveined, shelled and cleaned, and you have yourself such an easy and quick recipe.

Video in Urdu:

Video in English:

Ingredients:

1 lb small shrimps

2 1/2 - 3 cups basmati rice
1 cup onion, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

1 tablesppon ginger

1 tablespoon garlic 
1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1-2 ani star seeds (badyan ka phool)

1 1/2 - 2 teaspoon red chili powder
3 teaspoon salt or to taste, divided

1 bouillon cude (optional)

1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 teaspoon garam masala powder

1/2 cup yogurt

1 tsp kewra essence

a pinch saffron threads
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

12 - 15 mint leaves, chopped
6 - 7  green chilies
1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon orange/biryani food color

1/2 cup oil

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Somali Rice (Bariis) سومالی راۂس and Basbaas (Somali green sauce) African recipe by morEwish

Today I am sharing something different from a very diversified African cuisine, I made Somali Rice aka Bariis. After google research I got to know that Bariis is a national dish of Somalia and is especially popular at weddings and is a staple dish which is almost universally served as part of a Somali daily meal.

While exploring African cuisine I virtually met this sweet and nicest girl Shukria, she is a food blogger over at Instagram @NaturallyShukria. She just only supoorted me, but explained me the whole step by step process in detail. She is definately a kindest soul!

Bariis is made from basmati rice, and is typically topped fried potatoes, onions and peppers, and then served with roasted lamb, beef, goat, camel, or chicken. I followed Shukria's recipe with little changes here and there. 

Then I also tried and served Basbaas with my Rice. Its a Somali hot sauce that is traditionally served as a condiment for the main meal. The name "Basbaas" comes from the Somali term for chili, blended with other ingredients almost like our traditional chutney.

 

My family throughly enjoyed this treat, it was something different but very flavorful! 

Thought was to celebrate this rich and diversified heritage by trying out recipes with other food bloggers. Each day one of us will be shatring one recipe and a content creator on Insragram, so dont forget to check my Instagram out @morEwish Cuisine  Starting from June 9th till June 13th, 2020.

Video in Urdu:

Video in English:

Ingredients:

Meat 2 lbs 

Garlic cloves 6-7

Onion 1 cubed

Seasoned salt 1 tsp

Cumin 1 tsp

Curry powder 1 tsp

Black pepper powder 1 tsp

To sautee meat:

Oil 1/4 cup

Seasoned salt 2 tsp

Cumin 1 tsp

Curry powder 1 tsp

Green sauce 1/4 cup, recipe to follow

Rice: 

Oil 1/4 cup

Onion - half, chopped

Cardamon 3-4, Cinamon stick 1, Cloves 6-8, crushed

Basmati Rice 3 cups

Green sauce 1/2 cup, recipe to follow 

Seasoned salt 1 tsp

Curry powder 1 tsp

Cumin powder 1 tsp

Salt 2 tsp

Stock from the meat to cook rice

Green sauce:

Cilantro 1 cup

Garlic cloves 6-7 

Tomato 1 

Green Sauce aka Basbaas:

Cilantro 1 cup

Green chilis 6-7

Garlic cloves 6

Onion 1 

Tomato 1/2

Lemon juice 1/3 cup

Salt 1 tsp

Black pepper 1 tsp

Peri Peri 🌶 Chicken 🍗 and Rice | Nandos Copycat recipe by morEwish

Peri Peri Chicken is spicy dish with a plethora of Portugal/Mozambique/Cape Town flavors. It became popular among the Portuguese settlers in Africa. Specifically, they brought Bird Eye Chile peppers (or Peri Peri peppers) with them when they resettled.

Today I am making Peri Peri Chicken and Peri Peri rice for you guys. Its a Nados Copycat recipe and I absolutely love peri peri and this recipe gets as close to the original peri peri chicken as you can get.
This easy version of Nando’s Peri Peri Chicken can be on your table in well under an hour. Serve with Peri Peri Rice for a feast that looks fancy, but is actually really easy peasy – promise I won’t tell!

Video in Urdu: 

Video in English: 

Ingredients:

Peri Peri Chicken:

Chicken cut in 4 pieces, 2 lbs
Soy sauce 2 tbsp
Wocestershire sauce 2 tbsp
Peri peri sauce 3 tbsp
Garlic 1 tbsp
Salt 1 tsp (to taste)
Black pepper 1/2 tsp
Paprika powder 1 tsp
Lemon juice/Vinegar 4 tbsp
Oil 4 tbsp

Peri Peri Rice:

Rice 3 cups (boiled)
Salt
Black pepper 1/2 tsp
Garlic 1 tsp, chopped
Soy sauce 1 tbsp
Peri peri sauce 2-3 tbsp
Onion 2 tbsp, chopped
Tomato 1 diced, seeds removed
Capsicum 1 diced
Oil 3-4 tbsp

Yakhni Pulao یخنی پلاؤ recipe by morEwish

Yakhni Pulao is an aromatic rice dish where the rice is cooked in a meaty broth. Simple and comforting! You can use any meat like beef, mutton or chicken.  Some days just call for Yakhni Pulao. Warm and delicious!

This pulao recipe is fragrant, fluffy and perfect every single time! 🍚 It is very simple and easy to make and pair perfectly with any raita or curry of your choice.

Video Tutorial in Urdu: 

Video Tutorial in English: 

Ingredients:

Meat (Beef/ mutton/ veal) 2 lbs


For Stock/Yakhni:
Onion 1 medium
2 - 3 tbsp Coriander seeds (sabut dhaniya)
2 tbsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1 tbsp cumin seeds (zeera)
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp ginger paste
Cinnamon stick 1
Ansi star 1 piece
Nutmeg 1 small piece
Mace 1 small piece
Cloves 5 -6
Peppercorn 7 -8
Cardamon 2 - 3
Black cardamom 1
Black cumin 1 tsp
Salt

For Rice:
Rice 3 to 3 1/2 cups
Ginger 1 tbsp
Garlic 1 tbsp
Onion sliced, 1
Tomatoes chopped, 2 medium
Salt
Oil 1/2 cup
Green chilies

Tip:

• If I am using 1 cup rice, will add 1 1/2 cup stock for rice to come out perfect!
• 1 cup rice need 1 tsp of salt

Vegetable pulao سبزیوں کا پلاؤ recipe by morEwish

Vegetable pulao recipe is fragrant, fluffy and perfect every single time! Since, amazing vegetables are in season, today I thought to make Vegetable Pulao. This Vegetable Pulao Recipe is delicious medley of rice, spices and vegetables.

Veggie pulao smells so good while cooking, you'll be waiting for it to come off the stove so you can eat it! it is so quick and easy to make it is best made and eaten fresh. Serve it with your favorite raita, chutney and a kachomer salad.

Video Tutorial in Urdu:

Video Tutorial in English:

Ingredients:

For Sack:Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp
Fennel seeds - 2 tbsp

Bay leaf 1 big

Cloves 7-8

Peppercorns 8-9

Cardamon 1 

Black Cardamom 1 

Ani start seed 1 

Black Cumin 1 tsp

Cinnamon stick 1

For Pulao: 
Rice 3 cups
Oil 1/4 cup
Onion 1 small, sliced
Tomatoes 2 medium, chopped
Cumin 1 tbsp
Salt
Green chilies, for dum

Garam masala powder 1 tsp, for dum (optional) 

Yakhni Pulao in Crock-Pot recipe by morEwish

I think Crock-Pot is one of those gadgets which is must for every kitchen. If you are working or going out to run errands, just dump your ingredients in Crock-Pot and you will come back to a amazing dinner waiting for you!

Yakhni Pulao is an aromatic rice dish where the rice is cooked in a meaty broth. Simple and comforting! You can use any meat like beef, mutton or chicken, I used Veal today..  Some days just call for Yakhni Pulao. Warm and delicious, it's great for the soul on cold fall days and goes perfect with some raita and salad!

My cousin Uzma baji made me realize that there are very few Desi/Pakistani recipes developed for Crock-pot. I started testing desi recipes in crockpot and after trial and error I came up with lot more crockpot recipes including this Yakhni pulao. This time I just made stock/yakhni in crockpot but I will be sharing how to make rice in crockpot soon inshAllah. And I have lot more other desi recipes coming soon too!

Video Tutorial in Urdu:

Video Tutorial in English:

Ingredients: 

Meat (Beef/ mutton/ veal) 2 lbs 

For Stock/Yakhni:
Onion 1 medium
2 - 3 tbsp Coriander seeds (sabut dhaniya)
2 tbsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1 tbsp cumin seeds (zeera)
1 tbsp minced garlic 

1 tbsp ginger paste
Cinnamon stick 1 

Ansi star 1 piece 

Nutmeg 1 small piece
Mace 1 small piece
Cloves 5 -6 

Peppercorn 7 -8 

Cardamon 2 - 3 

Black cardamom 1 

Black cumin 1 tsp

Salt

For Rice:
Rice 3 to 3 1/2 cups
Ginger 1 tbsp
Garlic 1 tbsp

Onion sliced, 1
Tomatoes chopped, 2 medium
Salt
Oil 1/2 cup
Green chilies

Tip:

• If I am using 1 cup rice, will add 1 1/2 cup stock for rice to come out perfect!
• 1 cup rice need 1 tsp of salt 

Gola Kabab 🍽️| Gola Kabab Pulao recipe for Bakra Eid 🐑 by morEwish

A soft, succulent Kabab - Gola kabab that melts in your mouth! It is a barbecue favourite which is so simple, yet appetizing. While they taste absolutely awesome on their own, I bring an amazing, simple yet tasty recipe for the Gola Kabab Pulao. They are in line with the Eid festivities going on these days 🐑

Soft, juicy and tender minced meat kababs served on a bed of traditional basmati rice pulao. This pulao recipe is fragrant, fluffy and perfect every single time! 🍚 It is very simple and easy to make and pair perfectly with any raita or curry of your choice.

Video Tutorial:

Ingredients:
For Gola Kabab: 

1 lb minced meat

Dry garam masala:
1 bay leaf (taiz patta)
5 -6 red button pepper (gol lal mirch)
1 tsp black cumin (kala zeera)
5-6 cloves (longin)
5-6 cubeb (kabab chini)
5-6 black pepper
1/2 tsp cardamom, mace and nutmeg powder
1 1/2 tsp Roasted white cumin
1 piece long pepper (pippli)

1 tbsp raw papaya
1 tbsp ginger
1 tbsp garlic
1/2 tsp red chili powder
2 tsp coriander powder
salt
2 -3 tbsp shredded coconut
2 medium onions, fried
3 -4 tbsp oil/ghee

For pulao:
3 - 4 cups rice
1 medium onion, sliced
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
salt
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tbsp ginger

1 tbsp garlic
1/2 to 3/4 cup oil

Muslin cloth pocket:
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1 piece cinnamon stick
1 piece ani star (badyan)
1 tsp black cumin
1 green cardamom
1 black cardamom

Pasta Biryani 🥘 | Macaroni Biryani 🍝 recipe by morEwish 🍽️

 

The moment I hear the word biryani I get charged! and aside from the gluten-phobes, you'd be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn't love this stuff called Pasta 🍝  What a delicious combination it would be by combining both! Enough said! Ikr! 🤤

It's great for every mood, whether you're sad and in need of a pick me up or happy and ready to celebrate. In my opinion, its the best combination Ever! 🥘🍽️

While our love for pasta cannot be put into words, I try anyway.. oh well! its same for Biryani as well. Well, instead of making two separate dinners, make a kid-approved Pasta Biryani everyone will love!


Video Tutorial:

Ingredients:

Chicken 1 whole (2 - 21/2 lbs)
Pasta 1 (16 oz) package, Orzo preferred
Onion 2 medium
Tomatoes 3 medium
Bay leaf 1 -2
Cumin seeds 1 tbsp
Ginger 1 tbsp
Garlic 1 tbsp
Salt
Red chili powder 1 -2  tsp
Coriander powder 1 tsp
Garam masala 1 tsp
Alo bukhara (Dried Plump) 8 - 10
Yogurt 1/2 cup
Oil 1/2 cup
Green chili 2 -3 (optional)
Cilantro (optional)

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Chicken Tikka Casserole by morEwish

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