Riz Ala Djaj / Lebanese-Style Rice with Chicken
Description
Riz Ala Djaj, aka Lebanese-style rice with chicken, makes an easy, festive main dish that is surprisingly full of flavor. Ideal for get-togethers with friends, dinner parties, and holidays, it manages to bring warmth and brightness to every bite.
Ingredients
- 1.3 kg / 3 lb whole chicken
- 500 g / 1 lb 2 oz ground beef or lamb
- 2¾ cups / 600 g / 1 lb 5 oz rice I use Jasmine rice
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
- 2 teaspoons 7-spice
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup pine nuts
- ⅓ cup blanched almond halves
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ⅓ cup sunflower oil
- 1 tablespoon butter or ghee
Aromatics to add 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 chicken cavity, then use a knife to trim the excess fat around the neck.
- Wash the chicken under cold running water and drain. I know this is a matter of debate—some people don’t wash their chicken, but I do, and I also scrub it with lemon wedges. Cut the chicken in half and transfer it to a stockpot large enough to accommodate both pieces. Cover with enough water to fully submerge the chicken.
- Cook over medium-high heat, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface. Once it reaches a boil, add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, and bay leaves.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the stockpot, and simmer for 3 hours, or until the chicken falls off the bone.
- Strain the broth and set it aside. Transfer the chicken to a dish and let it cool.
- Rinse the rice under cold running water and drain. Heat the oil and butter in a skillet. Add the pine nuts, reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with a kitchen paper towel.
- Repeat with the almonds.
- Transfer the fat you used to cook the nuts 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 4¼ cups of the prepared chicken broth, salt, cinnamon powder, black pepper, and seven spice. Once the mixture comes to a boil, cover the stockpot, reduce the heat to very low, and simmer for 25–30 minutes. It is important not to disturb the pot or release the steam while the rice is cooking.
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate, debone it, and pull it apart with your fingers into large chunks.
- Fluff the rice with a fork to ensure that the grains do not stick together. Transfer the rice to a large serving platter, arrange the chicken pieces on top, and garnish with almonds and pine nuts.
Notes
I used a calibrated measuring cup to measure the rice: 1 cup = 250 ml.
If the amount of chicken broth in your stockpot is less than specified because some of it evaporated while the chicken was simmering, add enough water to make up the difference.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!