Chicken

Maqluba (Upside-Down Rice Casserole)

July 18, 2025
Recipes, Non-Vegetarian
Maqluba, Chicken, Rice, Middle Eastern

Maqluba (مَقْلُوبَة literally “upside-down” in Arabic) is a stunning, layered rice dish with chicken, vegetables, and fragrant spices.

Maqluba is distinct from Kabsa and Mandi — while Kabsa is spiced rice often cooked with tomato and dried lime, and Mandi is traditionally cooked in a tandoor-style oven for a smoky flavour, Maqluba is layered and flipped upside down for a beautiful, structured presentation.

Ingredients #

Main Ingredients #

  • 2 cups Basmati rice
  • 2 large potatoes (optional – peel and slice into ½-inch rounds)
  • 1 tablespoon maqluba ground spice (cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper)
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • 1 tomato (sliced – helps prevent sticking)
  • 1 tablespoon ghee

For the Broth #

  • 4–5 chicken legs with thighs
  • 2 chicken stock cubes in 4 cups water OR 4 cups reserved chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 1 medium onion, halved
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 3 tablespoons maqluba spices
  • 2 tablespoons 7-spice blend
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 4 cardamom pods
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions #

1. Prepare the Rice #

  • Wash rice several times to remove starch.
  • Soak in cold water for 30 minutes.
  • After soaking, drain and mix rice with:
    • 7-spice blend
    • Maqluba spices
    • Salt
  • Set aside.

2. Cook the Chicken #

  • Heat oil in a large pot.
  • Add onion halves and sauté.
  • Add chicken pieces.
  • Add maqluba spices, whole garlic, black pepper, cinnamon stick, coriander (if using), and cardamom.
  • Add enough water to cover the chicken.
  • Simmer for 20–30 minutes until fully cooked.
  • Remove chicken and strain the broth.
  • Optionally: crisp up the chicken in the oven or air fryer.

Assembly #

  1. Cut parchment paper to fit the bottom of your pot.
  2. Lay tomato slices over the paper.
  3. Layer in this order:
    • Chicken
    • Potato slices (if using)
    • Rice
  4. Pour hot broth over the rice (not warm or cold).
  5. Add:
    • Fried pine nuts and almonds
    • A spoonful of ghee
  6. Cover with a lid and boil on medium-high.
  7. Once boiling, reduce heat and cook until rice is fluffy (15–25 minutes).

To Flip Maqluba #

  • Let it rest for at least 10 minutes before flipping.
  • Place a large plate over the pot.
  • Flip confidently and serve!

Notes #

  • Parchment paper prevents sticking and makes flipping easier.
  • Taste your broth before adding to rice — if salty, replace 2 cups with plain water.
  • Presentation matters — the layered effect is part of the magic of Maqluba!

Enjoy your perfectly layered, fragrant Maqluba!

Mediterranean Chicken Casserole

July 5, 2018
Main-Course, Mediterranean
Chicken, Casserole, Mediterranean, Baking

It’s a simple dish, but packed with flavour and incredibly straightforward to cook. There’s something in this casserole for everyone — the Mediterranean influences like apricots, olives, Ras-el-Hanout and Greek yoghurt come together to create a dish that’s hearty, comforting, and full of oomph.

Ingredients #

  • Chicken – 1 medium or 8 leg pieces
  • Lemon – 1
  • Olive oil
  • Ginger paste – 1 tsp
  • Onion – 2 medium
  • Greek yoghurt – 1 cup
  • Olives (pitted) – 5–7
  • Garlic cloves – 5
  • Small potatoes – 4
  • Cherry tomatoes – 5
  • Dried apricots – 5
  • Almonds – 7–8
  • Cinnamon stick – 1
  • Ras-el-Hanout – 3 tsp
  • Paprika – 1 tsp
  • Salt – to taste

Recipe #

  1. Marinate the chicken in lemon juice for 5–7 hours.
  2. Soften the apricots by microwaving them in half a cup of water.
  3. Lightly fry the chicken in 2 tbsp olive oil with the cinnamon stick and ginger paste.
  4. Rub some olive oil on the sides of your ovenproof dish.
  5. Transfer the chicken to the oven dish.
  6. Fry the onions and add to the dish.
  7. Add the remaining ingredients: Greek yoghurt, garlic cloves, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, apricots (with water), almonds, ras-el-hanout, paprika, and salt.
  8. Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 1 hour.
  9. Check if the chicken is cooked through. If not, return to the oven for another 15 minutes.
  10. Finally, remove the foil and grill for 5–7 minutes to crisp up the top.

Serve warm with couscous, crusty bread, or simply as is — it’s rich, warming and full of character.

Tangri Kebab

September 7, 2016
Recipes, Non-Vegetarian
Tangri, Chicken, Stuffed, Barbecue, Non-Vegetarian

Tangri Kebab #

A succulent North Indian-style stuffed chicken leg kebab, marinated in a rich, tangy Afghani-style base and filled with a savoury egg and mince stuffing before being grilled to perfection.

Marinade #

Same as Afghani Chicken (Barbecue)

  • 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
  • 1 tsp Black pepper
  • 3 tbsp White vinegar
  • Salt (to taste)
  • (Optional: Food colour)

Stuffing (for 4 pieces) #

  • 1 Egg
  • 100 g Chicken keema
  • Black pepper (to taste)
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Khoya (small amount, crumbled)
  • Green chilli (finely chopped)

Method #

  1. Lightly fry all stuffing ingredients together like a bhujia, until the egg is cooked and mixture is dry.
  2. Make a slit in the chicken leg (tangri) and fill it with stuffing.
  3. Apply marinade over the stuffed chicken legs. Let rest for at least 1–2 hours (overnight recommended).
  4. Barbecue the stuffed tangri kebabs until cooked through and lightly charred on the outside.

Serve hot with mint chutney, lemon wedges, and salad for a regal starter or main.

Sid's Chicken Curry

December 25, 2007
Recipes, Indian-Cuisine, Non-Vegetarian
Indian, Non-Vegetarian, Chicken

Most of what I see is forgotten.
Most of what I think never makes it out of my head.
Most of what I say disappears into the air not long after I say it.

“Silence is golden”—but sometimes, a few of those thoughts or words might be worth capturing. Like that half-written recipe or a fleeting idea. Maybe it’ll help someone out there. Maybe it’ll help me when I stumble across it again.

Chicken in Ras el Hanout

January 13, 2018
Main-Course, Mediterranean
Chicken, Moroccan, Ras-El-Hanout

Ras el Hanout! رَأْسُ الحانُوتِ (raʾsu al-ḥānūti) literally means:

  • “head” or “top” — رَأْس (raʾs)
  • “the shop” — الحانُوت (al-ḥānūt)

So رَأْسُ الحانُوتِ translates to “head of the shop”, and figuratively it means “the best (or top) of what the shop has to offer” — usually referring to a premium spice mix made by spice vendors in the Maghreb (especially Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria). It’s used in Moroccan tagines, grilled meats, rice dishes, and even some desserts. Each vendor often has their own unique recipe, which can include dozens of spices

Chicken Pie

May 5, 2020
Pies, Main-Course
Chicken, Pie, Traditional, Baking

Thanks to Saqib for his traditional twist to this delicious Chicken Pie recipe.

Ingredients #

  • Chicken (boneless, chopped) – 500 gram
  • Olive oil – 1½ tbsp
  • Red onion (chopped) – 1
  • Garlic clove (crushed) – 1
  • Plain flour – 2 tbsp
  • Chicken-style stock cubes – 2
  • Frozen mixed vegetables (Mediterranean) – 2 cups
  • Thickened cream – ¼ cup
  • Hot sauce – a few drops
  • Black pepper – optional
  • Coriander leaves (chopped) – 2 tbsp (optional)
  • Shortcrust pastry, partially thawed – 2 sheets
  • Egg (lightly beaten) – 1
  • Puff pastry, partially thawed – 1 sheet
  • Sesame seeds – 2 tbsp

Method #

  1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan.
  2. Cook the chicken until browned, then set aside.
  3. Add ½ tbsp oil to the pan.
  4. Add chopped onion and garlic; cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
  5. Return chicken to the pan.
  6. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute.
  7. Add stock cubes and 1 cup cold water.
  8. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
  9. Add mixed vegetables and thickened cream.
  10. Add a few drops of hot sauce and black pepper to taste.
  11. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
  12. Add chopped coriander leaves if using.
  13. Preheat the oven to 190°C.
  14. Line a pie tin with shortcrust pastry. Layer parchment paper and dried baking beans on top.
  15. Bake for a few minutes, then remove the beans and parchment paper.
  16. Add the filling to the pastry-lined tin.
  17. Brush the edges with beaten egg.
  18. Cover with puff pastry, pressing edges to seal.
  19. Brush the top with egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  20. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden and crisp.

Enjoy your warm, comforting Chicken Pie with that special traditional touch from Saqib!

Wiener Schnitzel

June 26, 2016
Recipes, Non-Vegetarian
Austrian, Schnitzel, Cutlet, Chicken, Fried

Wiener Schnitzel #

Wiener Schnitzel is a very thin, breaded and pan-fried cutlet made from veal or chicken. It is one of the best-known specialties of Viennese cuisine and considered a national dish of Austria.

Ingredients #

  • Chicken breast (escalopes) – 1 kg
  • Eggs – 2
  • Double cream – 2 tbsp
  • Flour – to coat
  • White breadcrumbs (dried) – 50 g
  • Vegetable oil – for frying
  • Clarified butter or ghee – 25 g
  • Lemon – 1 (cut into wedges, to serve)
  • Salt and pepper – to taste

Recipe #

  1. Place chicken escalopes between two sheets of plastic wrap and flatten with a rolling pin until very thin, being careful not to tear the meat.
  2. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
  3. In a shallow bowl, beat the eggs with the cream.
  4. Place flour on one plate and breadcrumbs on another.
  5. Dip each escalope first in the flour, then the egg mixture, and finally in breadcrumbs. Do not press too hard into the breadcrumbs.
  6. Place the coated cutlets on a plate and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
  7. Heat oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat until a breadcrumb sizzles and browns quickly.
  8. Add clarified butter or ghee. When foaming, add the schnitzels.
  9. Fry until golden on the bottom, swirling the pan to cascade the oil over the top.
  10. Turn and cook the other side until golden brown.
  11. Remove and blot with kitchen paper. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Crispy, golden, and indulgent—serve your Wiener Schnitzel with lemon, parsley potatoes or a light salad for a taste of Vienna at home!