Description
A mandi chicken rice bowl is a complete, single-serve interpretation of a traditional Arabian peninsula feast. At its core, the dish consists of tender chicken marinated in a fragrant spice mixture, paired with long-grain basmati rice cooked in a spiced broth.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken
- 500 g chicken thighs or drumsticks
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
For the Mandi Rice
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 3 cups chicken stock or water
- 1 small onion, finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter or ghee
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
For Topping
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- 2 tablespoons toasted almonds or cashews
- Fresh cilantro or parsley
- Fried onions, optional
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
- Marinate the chicken: Combine the chicken with oil, lemon juice, salt, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, black pepper, cinnamon, and cardamom. Coat well and marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the rice: Rinse the basmati rice several times until the water runs mostly clear. Soak for 15–20 minutes, then drain.
- Cook the aromatics: Heat butter or ghee in a large pot. Add the sliced onion, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Sauté until the onion is lightly golden and fragrant.
- Add the rice: Stir in the drained rice, cumin, turmeric, and salt. Cook for 1–2 minutes.
- Add the stock: Pour in the chicken stock or water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the rice is almost tender.
- Cook the chicken: While the rice cooks, heat a skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the marinated chicken until browned and cooked through, about 6–8 minutes per side, depending on the cut. For extra color, broil or grill the chicken for 2–3 minutes at the end.
- Rest the rice: Turn off the heat and let the rice sit covered for 5–10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork.
- Assemble the bowl: Add a generous serving of mandi rice to each bowl. Place the chicken on top and garnish with toasted almonds, raisins, fresh cilantro or parsley, and fried onions.
- Serve: Serve hot with lemon wedges and your favorite tomato-chili sauce or yogurt sauce.
Notes
For a more traditional smoky mandi flavor, place a small piece of hot charcoal in a heatproof bowl inside the cooked rice, drizzle a little oil over the charcoal, cover the pot for 2–3 minutes, then remove the charcoal carefully.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop & Grilling
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: ~620 kcal
Keywords: chicken mandi bowl, yemeni mandi rice bowl, middle eastern chicken rice bowl