Riz ala Djaj is a Lebanese- style rice with chicken dish scented with cinnamon and seven spice and tossed with cooked chicken shreds, toasted pine nuts and almonds that will infuse this dish with loads of flavor.
One of the reasons riz ala djaj is such a delightful dish is because it takes on so many flavors, making it one of the signature dishes of Lebanese cuisine, whenever we crave a little comfort food, Lebanese -style chicken with rice will fit the bill. The chicken is simmered with water separately with a classic aromatic spice mixture allowing the chicken to pick up the flavors of the seasoning — and you’re left with a tasty broth to make the rice with; while the rice and chicken are the star of the show, minced meat gives the dish its distinct flavor.
Ingredients needed to make Riz Ala Djaj aka Lebanese- Style Rice with Chicken
- Rice
- Whole chicken
- Minced beef or lamb
- Seven spice
- Cinnamon powder
- Pine nuts
- Blanched and sliced Almonds, or use slivered almonds
- Ghee/ butter
- Sunflower oil
- Salt
To season the chicken while simmering:
- Onion
- Cardamom pods
- Bay leaves
- Cinnamon stick
- Whole cloves
Why do you need to simmer the chicken on the stovetop for long?
I usually simmer the chicken in water it for 2 to 3 hours on low heat, the result will be way better if you to give the chicken enough time to break down the collagen and untangle the proteins; the mentioned time will literally make the chicken fall off the bones, plus, this will create a flavorful broth to make the rice with.
Can I use a pressure cooker to simmer the chicken?
Absolutely yes, it will save time, I don’t use pressure cooker, but it could be a good idea.
To cut down on cooking time!
The rice can be ready in 30 minutes, but the chicken needs time to cook, as mentioned above, to help keep this recipe within that time frame, cook the chicken one day before, and save both chicken and broth in the fridge. The second day heat up the chicken and broth before making the rice.
Serving suggestions:
It is a main dish that is perfect for entertaining, serve with tabouleh, fattoush, Middle Eastern salad or plain yogurt on the side, if desired
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Looking for more festive Lebanese rice dishes, we got you covered!
Let’s stay in touch
If you like seeing my recipes subscribe via email or, connect with me on my social media platforms:
Facebook, Instagram, YouTube , Pinterest
and TikTok!
Riz Ala Djaj/ Lebanese- Style Rice with Chicken
Description
Ingredients
- 1.3 kg / 3.9 lb whole chicken
- 500 g/ 1 lb 2 oz. ground beef or lamb
- 2 ¾ cups rice/ 600 g./ 1 lb. 5oz. I use Jasmine rice
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
- 2 teaspoons 7 spice
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/3 cup blanched almond halves
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1/3 cup sunflower oil
- 1 tablespoon butter or ghee
Aromatics to be added to the chicken while simmering
- 1 onion
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cardamom pods
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 whole cloves
Instructions
- Remove the giblets and kidneys from the cavity of the chicken and trim the excess fat around the neck with a knife.
- Wash the chicken under running cold water and drain, I know this is a debate, some people don't wash the chicken, I do, and I also scrub it with lemon wedges. Cut the chicken in half and transfer to a stockpot large enough to accommodate the two pieces, cover with water to fully submerge the chicken.
- Cook over medium to high heat. Spoon the scum out as it appears. Once it reaches a boiling point, add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves and bay leaves.
- Reduce heat to low, cover the stockpot and simmer for 3 hours or until the cuts of the chicken fall off the bone.
- Strain the broth and save, transfer the chicken onto a dish to cool down.
- Rinse the rice under cold running and drain. Heat oil and butter in a skillet, add the pine nuts, reduce heat to low and cook stirring constantly to a golden color. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with a kitchen paper towel.
- Repeat with the almonds.
- Transfer the fats you cooked the nuts with to a large stockpot, add the ground meat and cook until all the moisture has evaporated, and the meat begins to brown, Add the drained rice and stir for 1 minute. Add 4 ¼ cups of the prepared chicken broth, salt, cinnamon powder, black pepper and seven spice. Once the mixture starts boiling, cover the stockpot, reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, it is important not to mess with the steam.
- Transfer the cooked chicken onto a plate, debone and pull apart the chicken with your fingers to large chunks.
- Fluff the rice with a fork to make sure that the grains do not stick together. Transfer onto a large serving platter, arrange the chicken pieces atop of the rice and garnish with almonds and pine nuts.
Notes
- I used a calibrated cup to measure the rice: 1 cup is 250 ml.
- If the chicken broth in your stockpot is less than the amount specified to make the rice due to evaporating while simmering the chicken, you should add water to make up for the difference.
