Are you looking for an astonishing dish that will amaze your guests? The Middle Eastern Chicken Maqluba is what you are looking for! This dish consists of spices chicken, fried vegetables, and rice. The good news is that it’s super easy to make.
Arab countries are known for their distinctive and unique traditions and mouthwatering food, of course. The most notable aspect of Arab cuisine is undoubtedly the variety of flavors and fragrances, both spices and flower essences. The Levant countries share many dishes such as Hummus, Grape Leaves, and Maqluba.
A Dish With An Exceptional Name
What is Maklubeh?
Maklubeh is a very popular dish in Palestine and many Arab countries including Iraq, Jordan, and Syria. This well-known dish is prepared differently in each household, but being a layered dish made of rice, vegetable, and meat is what remains consistent across all versions. This traditional Middle Eastern dish can be spelled in a variety of ways, such as Makloubeh, Maqluba, and Makloba.
Layering the vegetables and meat beneath the rice and then cooking everything together allows all of the flavors to beautifully blend together. It’s cooked low and slow to allow the flavors to develop and to keep the vegetables from burning since they’re underneath the rice.
Why Is It Called Maqluba?
Makloubeh translates to flipped upside down in reference to the way the order of ingredients are layered in the pot versus how they look when the pot is flipped. It uses a few vegetables, either interchangeably or mixed together. Eggplants, cauliflower, potatoes & carrots. Some families add hummus (garbanzo beans).
Distinctive Middle Eastern Dish
What to Serve With Maqluba?
Chicken Maqluba is not served alone, it’s served either with plain yogurt or any salad. Choose yogurt to add more condiments to the dish, and the salad for a healthy vegetarian side dish.
The rice dish tastes heavenly, however, it’s a little oily so it’s better to pair it with a healthy side dish such as salad. The Chicken Maqluba cannot be eaten without those two side dishes.
A Dish You Will Crave
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Chicken is more commonly used in Jordan and Palestine for Maqluba recipes. However, instead of chicken, you can use mutton, lamb or beef. But keep in mind that you will need to boil these for a little longer to ensure that the meat is tender and moist. Beef will be more dry, and make sure to use bone- in lamb or mutton.
Maqluba is a traditional Levantine dish that can be found in Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. Each of them has their own variation and method of preparing this recipe. Most agree that the origin is Palestinian.
Your New Favorite Homemade Dish
My Tips For this Mouthwatering Maqluba
Use parchment paper to prevent it from sticking.
Air frying the vegetables won’t give them the same color as deep frying does, but they will be less oily and healthier.
Taste the broth before adding it on top of the rice to make sure it’s not salty. If it is, replace two cups of broth with two cups of water.
I use a premix spice blend from Palestine, you can also buy some from most Middle Eastern grocery stores.
Impress Your Guests with this Flavorful Dish
Ingredients for this Authentic Maqluba
For the Rice
Jasmine rice: It’s a long-grain rice which means it is longer and thinner than most other rice varieties. It makes the rice a bit sticky.
Veggies: such as Cauliflower, potatoes, and tomatoes to help the pan not to stick.
Chicken broth: It adds moisture to the rice.
Seasonings: including Makloubeh spice, 7 spice, and salt to flavor the recipe.
For the Broth
Chicken broth: To soothe the body with heat, hydration, and nutrients.
Seasonings: Maqluba spices, 7 spices, coriander powder, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, salt, and black pepper, for a flavorful recipe.
Garlic cloves: To add a strong flavor.
Onion: For intense taste.
Oil: To prevent the rice from sticking to your rice cooker.
Chicken: Main ingredient and the meat used in the recipe.
An Unforgettable Taste
Follow The Steps Below for A Flavorful Chicken Maqluba
First, add the chicken to a pot with oil and the onion and sauté.
Next, add the maklouba spices, whole garlic, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, and cardamom, mix, and add water to cover.
Then, let it boil and skim off any foam that forms and discard. Let it cook for about 30-40 mins until done.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove it and strain the broth. You can now leave the chicken as is, bake it to crisp up or fry it. I like air frying it.
After that, wash the rice a few times to make sure the starches are removed. Soak in cold water for about 30 minutes.
Once soaked, strain and add the 7 spices, Makloubeh spices, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
For Veggies
Prep your vegetables ahead of time. Cut the cauliflower into medium size florets, and peel the potatoes, and cut them into ½-inch thick rounds.
For the eggplants, you can peel them, or leave the skin. Cut into ½-inch rounds & place on top of a paper towel.
sprinkle a small amount of salt on top of each round to draw out the moisture, about 10 minutes.
If you’re using carrots, the baby ones work great. Deep fry all the vegetables or air fry or bake them. Once done, set aside.
For Assembly
For assembly, my hack is to cut parchment paper the same size as the bottom of the pot you’re using and lay it flat.
Add tomato slices, then layer the chicken on top. Add the vegetables and finally the rice.
Now once your maklouba is assembled, make sure to add HOT broth. You don’t want this to be warm or cold.
Let it boil on medium-high, then cover and lower heat until rice is fully cooked, anywhere from 15-25 minutes. The rice on top should be fluffy and cooked.
If you want to make your own premix spice, mix 1 teaspoon turmeric with ½ teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon all spice, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon ground cardamom, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon mild curry powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon cumin (this is what I prefer).
Must-Try Recipes:
Middle Eastern Vermicelli Rice (Ruz Bil Shi’iriya)
Restaurant Style Butter Chicken (cheat version)
Meat Stuffed Pitas (Palestinian Arayes)
Dawood Basha (Kufta and Potato Stew)
Qatayef Asafiri (Middle Eastern Cream-Filled Pancakes)
Mushabak Halabi (Middle Eastern Churros)
Cucumber Yogurt Salad | Khiyar Bi Laban
If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube
Chicken Maqluba (Flipped Upside Down)
Ingredients
For the Rice
- 3 cups Jasmine Rice
- 1 large head cauliflower
- 2 large russet potatoes
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 tablespoon makloubeh spice
- Tomato optional (to help the pan not stick)
- 1 teaspoon 7 spice
- 1½ teaspoons salt
For the Broth
- 5 cloves garlic
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons Maqluba spices
- 2 tablespoons 7 spice
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 4 cardamom pods
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons oil
- 2 small chickens skinless, cut into quarters, about 2.5lbs each
- 1 medium onion cut in half
Instructions
- Add the chicken to a pot with oil and the onion and sauté.
- Add the maklouba spices, whole garlic, black pepper, cinnamon, coriander, and cardamom and mix. Add water to cover. Let it boil and skim off any foam that forms and discard. Let it cook for about 30-40 mins until done.
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it and strain the broth. You can now leave the chicken as is, bake it to crisp up, or fry it. I like air frying it.
- Wash the rice a few times to make sure the starches are removed. Soak in cold water for about 30 minutes.
- Once soaked, strain and add the 7 spices, Makloubeh spices, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
For Veggies
- Prep your vegetables ahead of time. Cut the cauliflower into medium size florets, peel the potatoes, and cut them into ½-inch thick rounds.
- For the eggplants, you can peel them or leave the skin. Cut into ½-inch rounds and place on top of a paper towel.
- Sprinkle a small amount of salt on top of each round to draw out the moisture, about 10 minutes.
- If you're using carrots, the baby ones work great. Deep fry all the vegetables, air fry, or bake them. Once done, set aside.
For Assembly
- For assembly, my hack is to cut parchment paper the same size as the bottom of the pot you're using and lay it flat.
- Add tomato slices, then layer the chicken on top. Add the vegetables and finally the rice.
- Now once your maklouba is assembled, make sure to add HOT broth. You don't want this to be warm or cold.
- Let it boil on medium-high heat, then cover and lower heat until rice is fully cooked, anywhere from 15-25 minutes. The rice on top should be fluffy and cooked.
Notes
- Use parchment paper to help it not stick.
- Air frying the vegetables won’t give them the same color as deep frying does, but they are less oily and healthier.
- Taste the broth before adding it on top of the rice to make sure it’s not salty. If it is, replace two cups of broth with two cups of not water.
- Use a premix spice blend from Palestine. You can also buy some from most Middle Eastern grocery stores.
- If you want to make your own premix spice, mix 1 teaspoon turmeric with ½ teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon all spice, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ½ teaspoon ground cardamom, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon mild curry powder, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon cumin (this is what I prefer).
Tried this for tonights dinner- hands down the most flavorful maklouba I’ve ever tasted
Used this recipe to improve my maklouba and it truly did make it more flavorful and delicious 🤤🤤🤤🤤 the broth and chicken made the dish so good!!! But I add chickpeas in my rice and fried vermicelli but other than that it was all the same 👌 10/10 (sooo many ppl make maklouba and all you taste is oil… follow this recipe and you will have amazing flavor and not oil taste)
This recipe was SO GOOD I was missing maqluba & your recipe was easy to follow and exceptionally delicious. Also your parchment paper hack is genius I got a perfect flip because of it (and also screamed with delight lol I’ve never had a perfect flip prior to trying your hack) ❤️
I always fail making maqluba because the top layer is always burnt.. using parchment paper is brilliant!! It helps me to solve the burnt top layer.. now perfect maqluba with perfect top, thank you for the recipe!