Rice and Chicken (Lebanese Way)

Arabs love this dish! If you have an Arab friend, make this dish when you invite them over; it will guarantee to make them smile 🙂 Every Arab country has their own variation of it and is generally cooked during special occasions. The combination of the rice cooked with chicken stock and the fried nuts spread on the top of the plate gives it a special flavor and texture in your mouth. Some people like it covered in gravy but personally, I like it with yogurt. Try it both ways, tell me which way you prefer 🙂

Recipe by ninabaidoon, Tabkhet el yom

Ingredients: for boiling the chicken

1 whole chicken (about 1 kilo)
1 tablespoon salt
1 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon seven spices
1/2 teaspoon clove
few bay leaves
1/2teaspoon whole cardamon
For cooking the rice:
200 grams minced meat
2 cups long grain rice
1/2 teaspoon seven spices
4 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon corn oil
For the decoration:

1 tablespoon butter
handful of each: halved almonds, pine seeds, pistachios, cashew
a pinch of ground cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Place the chicken in a large pot, cover with about 2 liters of water, place on fire and let it boil.

2. Skim the white foam. Then put the salt, cinnamon stick, clove, cardamon and seven spices and let it boil until tender (in pressure cooker it will take 15 minutes)

3. When boiled, drain the chicken from water (but keep the stock) and tear the chicken meat from the bones and keep aside

4. In another pot, heat the oil and fry the minced meat until brown, season with salt and seven spices

5. Add the rice and cover with 4 cups of chicken stock, cover the pot and let it simmer on a low fire until the rice is cooked

6. In a saucepan heat the butter and fry the nuts until nice golden, stirring constantly to prevent them from burning then place on a kitchen towel

7. To serve place the rice in a large plate, put the chicken pieces on the top, sprinkle with cinnamon then cover with the fried nuts

8. Enjoy eating with a side salad (and yogurt or gravy, whatever you prefer)