Mouthwatering Chicken Machboos With Turkish Baharat

There are many wonderful tastes and flavors that come from Turkey and the neighboring Middle East region. Home to a veritable cornucopia of herbs and spices, dishes from the area are often colorful and delightfully delicious. They can be fiery too - particularly when they include spices like Turkish Baharat.

The spice’s name actually means ‘Spice’ in Arabic and it’s one that forms part of the mouthwatering recipe we bring you today - Chicken Machboos and rice.

What Are Chicken Machboos?

Known as the national dish of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf, Chicken Machboos is quite similar to the Indian dish Biryani. This traditional cuisine does vary from country to country, as it’s widely enjoyed, however it always features meat and rice, with varying degrees of heat!

You don’t have to worry too much about the heat aspect though, as  Turkish Baharat only has a touch of warmth, mixed in with smokey and fruity undertones. As such, it’s not at all overpowering as some spices can be.

Our Chicken Machboos Recipe

Cook Time 1 Hour 55 Mins

Ok, so our recipe for Chicken Machboos will take a little under 2 hours to complete, from start to finish and you’re going to need the following ingredients to feed up to 4 people…

• Around 3 lbs of raw chicken (thighs, breasts & legs are all fine)

• 2 x cups of basmati rice (soaked, rinsed & drained)

• 1 x 14oz can of diced tomatoes (drained)

• 2 x dried limes (punctured several times)

• 3 x tbsps of fresh, chopped cilantro

• 2 x tbsps of fresh, chopped parsley

• 1 tbsp of fresh, minced ginger

• 5 x thinly-sliced garlic cloves

• 3 x tbsps of unsalted butter

• 5 x green cardamom pods

• 1 tbsp of Turkish Baharat

• 2½ cups of chicken stock

• 1 x tsp of turmeric powder

• 2 x large diced onions

• 2½ teaspoons salt

• 1 x cinnamon stick

• 2 tbsps of oil

Putting All Together For Delicious Results!

To begin with, we’ll take our oil and place it in a large pan, over medium to high heat. Once it starts bubbling, you should place your chicken in, frying all sides until the whole exterior is a lovely golden brown, with a nice crisy texture. Then plate and cover the chicken and put it to the side.

After bringing the heat down to medium, add the butter and onions, frying them for about 10-12 minutes or until they brown. Then add the garlic and ginger, before sauteing the mixture for sound 2 minutes and finally adding the turmeric and Turkish Baharat.

Another minute or so later, you should add the chicken back into the pan, also placing in the dried limes, cardamom pods, tomatoes, cinnamon, garlic cloves, salt, and chicken stock. Stir until properly combined and allow to simmer for 60 minutes on low heat.

Adding the Finishing Touches

The good news is that we’re now approaching the end and it won’t be long until you’re sampling all those fantastic flavors! All that’s left to do is add the parsley, drained rice, and cilantro while continuing to stir the mixture. Then let everything simmer for 15-20 minutes, to allow the rice to absorb all the juices and cook through.

Lastly, you’ll be dishing up, serving the rice first, and placing your succulent chicken pieces on top. How you enjoy yours is up to you, but a popular way to do so is with yogurt raita and a fresh green salad. This offers a lovely blend of complementing tastes that will have you drooling in anticipation!

Step Back & Appreciate Your Wonderful Turkish Dish!

Now comes the enjoyable part, as you and your friends or family sit down and enjoy this colorful and mildly-spiced delight. Chicken Machboos with Turkish Baharat are ideal for lunch, brunch, or dinner, offering a great blend of sweet, spicy, and savory!

One of the key ingredients in this wonderful dish is the spice and you can find top-quality baharat easily, just by visiting the Little Istanbul Gifts shop today. There you’ll also find an eclectic selection of the finest herbs and spices from around the world.

Sadly, that’s it again from us. We hope that you enjoy this culinary feast and that you’ll find time to join us again soon when we return with more about the many amazing, authentic products from Turkey.

Until next time!