Description
Chicken Maqluba is a traditional Middle Eastern upside-down rice dish featuring tender marinated chicken, roasted vegetables, and aromatic spices layered with partially cooked rice, baked to perfection. This flavorful one-pot meal combines roasted potatoes, eggplant, cauliflower, and richly seasoned chicken with warm spices like cinnamon, cardamom, and seven spice blend, creating a visually stunning and delicious family-style dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 1 whole chicken, skin removed and cut into pieces
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- Salt, to taste
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon seven spice blend
- 4–6 cloves garlic, crushed
- 6 green cardamom pods, crushed
Vegetables
- 2 large potatoes, sliced
- 1 medium eggplant, sliced
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 large onions, sliced
- 2–4 tablespoons olive oil (for roasting vegetables and cooking)
- Salt, to taste (for soaking potatoes and salting eggplant)
Rice and Spices
- 2 cups Italian rice, rinsed and soaked
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice
- 1 cinnamon stick (2-inch piece)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon seven spice blend
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Rub the chicken pieces thoroughly with salt and lemon juice to infuse flavor and tenderize the meat.
- Mix the Marinade: In a small bowl, combine coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric powder, and seven spice blend. Coat the chicken evenly with this spice mixture and set it aside to marinate.
- Prepare the Vegetables: Soak the sliced potatoes and cauliflower florets in salted water for 15 minutes to remove excess starch and bitterness. Sprinkle salt over eggplant slices, let them sit to sweat for a few minutes, then pat dry to reduce moisture.
- Roast the Vegetables: Brush all prepared vegetables—potatoes, cauliflower, and eggplant—with olive oil and arrange them on baking sheets. Roast potatoes and cauliflower at 375°F (190°C) for 15 minutes. Roast eggplant for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
- Cook the Chicken Base: Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add whole allspice and the cinnamon stick, then sauté sliced onions until golden brown. Stir in crushed garlic and cardamom pods until fragrant.
- Sear the Chicken: Add marinated chicken pieces to the pot and sear until they develop a golden-brown color on all sides.
- Simmer the Chicken: Pour in 4 to 6 cups of water to cover the chicken, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes.
- Reserve Broth: Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and set aside. Reserve 2 cups of the flavorful chicken broth for assembling the Maqluba.
- Prepare the Rice: Rinse and soak the rice thoroughly, then drain it. Mix the rice with salt, black pepper, seven spice blend, and turmeric powder. Bring 4 liters of water to a rolling boil, add the rice, and parboil it until halfway cooked (about 50%). Drain the rice well.
- Assemble the Maqluba: In a deep, oven-safe pot, layer the roasted chicken pieces evenly at the bottom, followed by roasted potatoes, eggplant, and cauliflower. Gently top the vegetables with the partially cooked rice, pressing down lightly to compact.
- Add Broth and Bake: Pour the reserved 2 cups of chicken broth over the rice layer. Cover the pot with a lid and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 25 minutes to finish cooking and meld flavors.
- Rest and Invert: Remove the pot from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes. Place a large serving platter on top of the pot, carefully invert the pot to release the Maqluba onto the platter, revealing the layered dish beautifully.
- Serve: Serve the Chicken Maqluba hot, accompanied by yogurt and a fresh salad for a balanced and authentic Middle Eastern meal experience.
Notes
- Salting the eggplant before roasting helps remove bitterness and excess moisture, improving texture.
- Partially cooking the rice before layering prevents overcooking during baking.
- Use an oven-safe heavy pot for baking the assembled Maqluba to ensure even heat distribution.
- Adjust spices according to personal taste for milder or stronger flavor profiles.
- Allow the dish to rest after baking to enable easier unmolding and better flavor absorption.
- Serving with yogurt adds a refreshing contrast to the dish’s warm spices.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
