Chicken Maqluba
A dramatic inverted rice dish layered with spiced chicken, eggplant, and tomatoes, then flipped to reveal golden rice at the top. This Palestinian classic is comfort food at its finest.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 820
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 6 pieces chicken thighs, skin-on and bone-in
- 1 whole medium eggplant, peeled and sliced lengthwise
- 2 whole large tomatoes, sliced
- 2 whole medium potatoes, sliced 0.25-inch thick
- 2 cups long-grain white rice, rinsed
- 1 cup vegetable oil for frying
- 3 whole onions, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, minced
- 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- 1
Pat chicken dry and season both sides with salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, and allspice.
- 2
Heat 0.5 cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry eggplant slices until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside on paper towels.
- 3
In the same oil, fry potato slices until light golden, 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.
- 4
Add remaining oil and fry chicken thighs skin-side down until golden, 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- 5
In the same skillet, sauté sliced onions until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- 6
Stir in the rinsed rice and toast for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour in broth and lemon juice, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil.
- 7
Reduce heat to low. Layer the fried vegetables (eggplant, potatoes) and tomato slices over the rice. Nestle the browned chicken pieces on top, skin-side up.
- 8
Cover the skillet tightly with foil or a fitted lid. Simmer undisturbed for 25-30 minutes, until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
- 9
Remove from heat and let rest covered for 5 minutes. Place a large serving platter upside-down over the skillet and carefully flip, inverting the dish so the golden rice faces up.
Tools you’ll need
- 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron pan
- large serving platter
- aluminum foil or fitted lid
- long wooden spoon
- slotted spoon
- paper towels
- knife and cutting board
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
CookSnap is a free iOS app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations.
