Kabsa Style Fried Rice

Name: Kabsa Style Fried Rice
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Gulf
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces; 1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin; 1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander; 1 tsp (2 g) sweet paprika; ½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon; ½ tsp (1 g) ground black pepper; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground cardamom; ¼ tsp (½ g) ground turmeric; ⅛ tsp (¼ g) ground cloves, a scant pinch; 1½ tsp (9 g) fine salt, divided: 1 tsp for the chicken, ½ tsp for the rice; 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or sunflower), divided: 1 tbsp for marinating, 1 tbsp for searing, 1 tbsp for the vegetables; 1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup); 2 medium (150 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice (about 1 cup); 1 whole (8 g) dried lime (loomi), pierced 4–5 times with a knife tip or skewer; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced; 1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste; 1 tbsp (14 g) ghee or unsalted butter; 4 cups (700 g) cooked basmati rice, cold, day-old, clumps broken apart with your fingers; ¼ cup (60 ml) chicken broth, warm or room temperature; 3 tbsp (30 g) raisins; 3 tbsp (20 g) slivered almonds; 2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Day-old basmati rice is stir-fried with spiced chicken, sweet carrots and a tangy dried lime for all the warm, fragrant flavor of Saudi kabsa in a fast one-pan weeknight dinner.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 25 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 1 hr
Makes: About 6 cups (4 generous servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the chicken
1 lb (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) pieces
1 tsp (2 g) ground cumin
1 tsp (2 g) ground coriander
1 tsp (2 g) sweet paprika
½ tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground cardamom
¼ tsp (0.5 g) ground turmeric
⅛ tsp (0.3 g) ground cloves, a scant pinch
1½ tsp (9 g) fine salt, divided: 1 tsp for the chicken, ½ tsp for the rice
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil (such as canola or sunflower), divided: 1 tbsp for marinating, 1 tbsp for searing, 1 tbsp for the vegetables
For the rice
1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
2 medium (150 g) carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch (6 mm) dice (about 1 cup)
1 whole (8 g) dried lime (loomi), pierced 4–5 times with a knife tip or skewer
4 cloves (12 g) garlic, minced
1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste
1 tbsp (14 g) ghee or unsalted butter
4 cups (700 g) cooked basmati rice, cold, day-old, clumps broken apart with your fingers
¼ cup (60 ml) chicken broth, warm or room temperature
To finish
3 tbsp (30 g) raisins
3 tbsp (20 g) slivered almonds
2 tbsp (8 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Equipment (6)

12-inch (30 cm) large nonstick or carbon steel skillet, or a wide wok
Wooden spoon or spatula
Medium mixing bowl
Cutting board and chef's knife
Instant-read thermometer
Small plate for almonds

Steps

Before you start

Use rice that was cooked at least 8 hours ahead (ideally the day before) and chilled uncovered or loosely covered in the fridge. Warm, fresh rice turns mushy.
Dried limes (loomi) are sold at Middle Eastern grocers and online. Pierce it so it releases flavor, and remember to remove it before serving because it is very sour and bitter if bitten.
Cut the chicken into even ½-inch pieces so it cooks through at the same speed as the vegetables.
Have everything chopped and measured before you turn on the heat; stir-frying moves fast.

1
Break up the rice
- Tip the cold cooked basmati into a large bowl.
- With dry fingers, gently rub and separate any clumps until the grains look loose and individual.
- Set aside while you prep everything else.
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Ready when: No clumps larger than a grape remain; grains feel dry and separate.
Tip: Do this now, not in the hot pan, so the grains don't get crushed while frying.
2
Season and marinate chicken
- In a medium bowl, combine the cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon, black pepper, cardamom, turmeric and cloves with 1 tsp of the salt and 1 tbsp of the oil.
- Add the chicken pieces and toss until every piece is evenly coated in the spice paste.
- Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Chicken is uniformly golden-red with no dry patches of spice.
3
Prep vegetables and toast almonds
- While the chicken marinates, dice the onion and carrots, mince the garlic, pierce the dried lime, and chop the parsley.
- Toast the almonds in the dry 12-inch skillet over medium-low heat, stirring often, for 2–3 minutes.
- Tip them onto a small plate.
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Ready when: Almonds are pale golden and smell nutty.
Tip: Almonds burn within seconds once they color, so remove them to a plate right away.
4
Sear the chicken
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
- Add the chicken in a single layer and cook without moving for 2 minutes, then stir and cook 3–4 minutes more.
- Transfer to a clean bowl.
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Ready when: Chicken is browned on the edges and reads 165°F (74°C) in the thickest piece.
Tip: Cook in two batches if the pieces overlap, otherwise they steam instead of browning.
5
Soften onion, carrot and lime
- Lower the heat to medium.
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil, the onion, carrots and pierced dried lime.
- Cook, stirring often, for 5–6 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute more, scraping up browned bits from the pan.
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Ready when: Onion is soft and translucent, carrots are just tender when pierced, and the tomato paste darkens to brick red.
Tip: If the garlic starts to brown too fast, splash in 1 tbsp of the broth.
6
Stir-fry the rice
- Raise the heat to high.
- Push the vegetables to the side, melt the ghee in the cleared space, then add the rice and the remaining ½ tsp salt.
- Stir and toss constantly for 4–5 minutes, pressing the grains against the pan, until the rice is steaming hot and evenly tinted.
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Ready when: Rice is hot throughout, fluffy, evenly golden-orange, and a few grains are lightly toasted.
Tip: Don't stir constantly for the first 30 seconds; a brief rest lets the rice crisp slightly.
7
Add broth, raisins and chicken
- Drizzle in the broth and scatter over the raisins.
- Return the chicken and any juices to the pan.
- Toss for 2 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and everything is well combined and heated through.
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Ready when: No liquid pools in the pan, raisins look plump, and chicken is steaming hot (165°F/74°C).
8
Finish and serve
- Turn off the heat.
- Fish out and discard the dried lime (or squeeze it over the rice if you want more tang).
- Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed.
- Fold in the parsley, scatter the toasted almonds on top, and serve right away.
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Ready when: Rice is fragrant, fluffy and flecked with green parsley.
Tip: Keep the almonds for the end so they stay crisp.

Good to know

Tips

Cold, dry rice is the key to separate grains; if you only have fresh rice, spread it on a tray and chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.
Don't overcrowd the pan. A wide skillet or wok gives the rice room to fry rather than steam.
If you have a ready-made kabsa spice blend, use 2 tbsp in place of the individual spices.
Serve with a squeeze of lemon, cucumber yogurt, or a spicy tomato salsa (daqqus) for authentic contrast.

Make ahead

"Cook the rice up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate. The chicken can be seasoned and refrigerated up to 24 hours before cooking; let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before searing."

Storage & reheating

"Cool within 1 hour. Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freeze up to 2 months without the almonds. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with 1–2 tbsp water or broth, stirring 4–5 minutes until steaming hot (165°F/74°C), or microwave covered in 1-minute bursts. Add fresh almonds after reheating."

Substitutions

boneless, skinless chicken thighs → boneless, skinless chicken breast. Leaner; sear 1–2 minutes less and watch closely so it doesn't dry out.
dried lime (loomi) → 1 tbsp fresh lime juice plus 1 tsp zest, added at the end. Gives brightness but less of loomi's earthy, fermented flavor.
ghee or unsalted butter → neutral oil. Works fine, with slightly less richness.
slivered almonds → pine nuts or chopped pistachios. Toast the same way until golden.