Chicken Machboos, or Machboos ala Dajaj (“spiced chicken and rice”), is the national dish of Bahrain, a small island country in the Persian Gulf neighbored by Saudi Arabia and Iran. Machboos is similar to Biryani (from the Indian subcontinent) and Kabsa (from Saudi Arabia), all with varying cooking methods, ingredients, degree of spiciness, and assembly. But all three are essentially meat and rice dishes.
I developed this recipe by way of request from Jay and Kelly. They posted a challenge for me on The Daring Gourmet’s facebook fan page. Having toured the Middle East during their time in the Navy, they had come to love its variety of foods. They especially loved the Machboos from Bahrain. Disappointed in the recipes they’ve found and tried online, they challenged me to develop an authentic Bahraini Machboos. Jay and Kelly, while I can’t promise you that this tastes just like the particular Machboos you had in Bahrain, I can guarantee that it’s both authentic and delicious.
I even flew back to the Middle East to pick up the spices for this dish. Just kidding. But I was there a few years ago and could have spent HOURS in the spice stalls of the Arab markets. This vendor had a terrific selection.
And oh, how I miss that perfect sun-kissed skin! Mine, not the spice vendor’s. I don’t miss him – or his skin, rather. But he was a very nice man and he let me take his picture.
There are two ingredients in particular that set this dish apart from any Western chicken and rice dishes. Baharat and Loomi.
Baharat, Arabic for “spice”, is a popular spice blend found in Arab cuisine. Ingredients can vary, but it typically includes black pepper, paprika, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and nutmeg. An intensely flavorful spice blend, Baharat can liven up any dish. It is commonly used as a rub for lamb, chicken, beef and fish and can be combined with olive oil and lemon juice for a delicious marinade. It is also used in soups and sauces.
Another Daring Gourmet recipe using this wonderful spice blend is Koshari (Egyptian Lentils, Rice & Macaroni with Spicy Tomato Chile Sauce – the National Dish of Egypt)
Loomi is another ingredient that is a must if you wish to achieve an authentic flavor in your Middle Eastern cooking. Loomi are limes, often from Oman, that have been boiled and then left to dry in the sun. Their color can range from tan to black. The concentrated lime flavor is intensely tangy and earthy with an almost smoky quality. Loomi are sold under a variety of names including black limes, black lemons (though not lemons at all), and of course dried limes. They can be purchased either whole or in powdered form. Whole is better as the powder oxidizes quickly and much of the flavor can be lost. As with spices, it is better to keep them stored whole and then grind as needed. Dried limes can be found in stores carrying Middle Eastern products or can be ordered online. They are also delicious stuffed into the cavity of a chicken before roasting or added to boiling rice for added flavor. You can purchase them online HERE.
Another ingredient that I have added to this dish and that is commonly found in Middle Eastern cuisine is rosewater. I included it as an optional ingredient to be sprinkled over the finished dish just before eating, but I highly recommend it as it will add a whole exotic flavor dimension to the Machboos. The sweet accents of the rosewater gracefully complement the earthy spices and tangy limes. You can find rose water online HERE.
Once you have gathered up the ingredients necessary for this dish, it is quite easy and straightforward to make. A one pot dish, you’ll have little cleanup to do and most of the time involved in making the process is simply cooking time. The end result is worth whatever effort you went through to get the needed ingredients. And it’s a great dish for the whole family. While packed with flavor, it’s not spicy-hot. Even our toddler ate two pieces of the chicken and then requested rice.
Let’s make some Machboos!
Separate the whole spices and the powdered spices.
Dry roast the whole spices in a small pan over medium-high heat, tossing frequently to prevent scorching, until very fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
Allow the spices to cool and then transfer them to a spice or coffee grinder along with the powdered spices and grind them to a fine powder.
Set the baharat aside.
Either cut up a whole chicken or use chicken pieces.
Heat some oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven (I use and love Lodge) and fry the chicken on both sides until browned and crispy.
Set the chicken aside.
Dice up the onions.
Add the ghee or butter to the oil already in the Dutch oven and saute the onions over medium heat until caramelized and beginning to brown.
Slice the garlic cloves and mince the ginger and jalapeno pepper.
Add the garlic, ginger and jalapeno to the onions and saute for another two minutes.
Add the baharat and turmeric and stir to combine.
Return the chicken to the Dutch oven.
Get the dried limes.
It’s important to punch a few holes in the limes with a skewer, knife or the tines of fork before adding it to the dish, otherwise the juices won’t effectively penetrate the hardened skin. The holes will allow the cooking juices to infuse with the flavorful interior of the limes.
Add the dried limes, tomatoes, cinnamon stick (find a great deal online here), cardamom and ground cloves.
Add the chicken stock. Stir to combine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour.
After simmering for an hour, discard the cinnamon stick and dried limes. You can leave the cardamom pods in, but I prefer not to be surprised with a whole cardamom pod in my mouth.
I was only able to find 3 of the cardamom pods. I guess we’ll soon find out ends up with the other two!
Soak the basmati rice in water for at least 15 minutes.
Rinse and drain the rice. This process is said to create a fluffier rice texture for the finished dish, but it also lessens the cooking time of the rice and thus preserves its flavor which can diminish through longer cooking periods.
Add the cilantro and parsley to the Dutch oven.
Add the rice and stir to combine. Return the mixture to a boil, reduce to low, cover and cook for another 15-20 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked.
Transfer the rice and chicken to a serving platter and serve immediately. You can leave the chicken mixed in with the rice or place the chicken on top of the rice. For an added authentic Middle Eastern touch, sprinkle some rosewater over the finished dish just before serving.
Oh, and guess what? I ended up finding those other two missing cardamom pods before dishing it up :)
And there you have it – a lovely, authentic and delicious plate of Bahraini Chicken Machboos.
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- 2 large onions, diced
- 3 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon baharat (see recipe below)
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 tablespoons oil
- A combination of chicken thighs, legs and breasts (about 3 pounds)
- 1 hot green chili pepper (e.g., jalapeno), seeded and diced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
- 5 large cloves or garlic, thinly sliced
- 2 large roma tomatoes, diced (or 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes, juices drained)
- 2-3 dried limes (loomi), several holes punched throughout each one
- 5 green cardamom pods
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 stick cinnamon (about 2 inches long)
- 2½ teaspoons salt
- 2½ cups chicken stock
- 2 cups basmati rice (soaked for at least 15 minutes, then rinsed and drained)
- 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Rosewater for sprinkling (optional, but recommended)
- For the Homemade Baharat:
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick (about 2 inches long)
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- ¼ teaspoon green cardamom seeds
- 1 tablespoon paprika powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- For the Baharat:
- Set the paprika and nutmeg powders aside. Place all remaining ingredients (whole seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves) in a small frying pan and dry roast over medium-high heat, tossing regularly to prevent scorching, for 3-4 minutes or until very fragrant. Transfer to a spice or coffee grinder and let cool. Add the paprika and nutmeg and grind all the ingredients to a fine powder. Store left over baharat in an airtight jar.
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and fry the chicken pieces on both sides until the skin is brown and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave the remaining oil in the Dutch oven.
- Add the ghee (or butter), reduce the heat to medium, and fry the onions until starting to brown, about 10-12 minutes.
- Add the ginger, garlic, and green chile pepper and saute for another 2 minutes.
- Add the baharat and turmeric and cook for another minute.
- Return the chicken pieces to the Dutch oven along with the tomatoes, dried limes, cardamom pods, cinnamon, ground cloves and salt. Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour.
- Add the cilantro, parsley and drained rice and stir to combine. Return it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the rice is done and has absorbed the liquid.
- Transfer the chicken and rice to a serving dish (either leave the chicken pieces tossed in with the rice, or place the chicken on top of the rice), and sprinkling with 1-2 tablespoons of rosewater (optional).
- Serve with a green salad and yogurt raita.
Anonymous says
Dear Chef,
Yesterday, I found this recipe of machboss. Today, I cooked it with 2 tbsp of baharat. The taste was superb and delicious. When I cooked, the smell of ingradient was mouth watering. Therefore, my family can enjoy the food of Bahrain cuisine in Indonesia. My 6 years old daughter ate three time of served plate. Thank you very much for your kindness.
Todd says
We’ve been cooking this recipe for quite some time, and we have made the following modifications.
1st off not much of the spice flavor seems to end up in the chicken at the end, so we made a rub to put on the chicken using the ingredients in your recipe, with the exception we use onion powder, garlic powder, and powdered ginger for the rub ONLY.
Fresh in the rest of the recipe for the broth.
Then it just seemed to be missing something, and we threw in some orange zest which so compliments the Baharat and clove flavors and some grated carrot just to add a little sweetness.
Lastly, putting the rice in with the chicken just never worked out. It soaked up all the broth and was a mushy mess, leaving the chicken dry, so now we just cook rice separately and slather it with the tasty broth.
I have to say, your photo look staged ;) so perfect, like those ad agencies doing pics of burgers ha, and it appears to me that the cilantro is fresh in the photo.
Anyway, we’ve been cooking this now about 10 times over the last few years, and really enjoy it especially on a rainy night here in Oregon. Gonna be a late dinner.
sherry says
this sounds delicious kimberly. i do love a spicy dish!
linda says
if you are making this again can you post a video ?
Wahida says
I’ve tried several recipes but this one is the best and have made it several times now.Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy to hear that, Wahida, thank you!
Jessica says
Hi, Kimberly! I have been following you for several years now, and I just wanted to thank you for the fantastic recipes and for posting about your experiences with other cultures and lands. I love to travel, but don’t do it as often as I would like, so cooking many of your recipes allows me to enjoy faraway places in the comfort of my own kitchen. I am making this recipe for about the tenth time tonight (many of your recipes are staples at my house), and as I was referring to your recipe I just thought I would send a thank you note! You rock!!!
PS – We are fellow Washingtonians (something I happily discovered after following you for over a year!) – I hope you and yours are safe and not going too stir crazy in these challenging times.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I appreciate that so very much, Jessica. Thank you for those kind words and for your support all these years <3 And yay, a fellow Washingtonian! :) I hope you and your family stay safe and well - there's happily a light at the end of this crazy tunnel! :)
Darrow Molder says
Hi Kimberly! This is my first time making a recipe from your website, and might I say I’m rather impressed by the cultures of food you provide recipes for! I doubled this recipe and served it with a salad, and it fed 6 people (all with seconds and some with thirds) with a good amount Of leftovers that everyone will be fighting for. It was incredibly delicious and won our family’s “Recipe of the Month” award. I dabble in food photography, and was wondering if there was any way a photo could be attached to a review on your website? I took a rather nice photo of this dish, and some people might be interested in seeing how the dish came out for other people before trying it themselves. It’s just a question, I still love your site and what you do to spread culture and adventure in people. :)
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you so much, Darrow, I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that!
Beatrx says
Ah!!! Genius! I wouldn’t have thought of that! Thanks so much for getting back to me! A lot of the national dishes I am making I see you have made so looking forward to making more of your recipes!
Beatrix Burger says
I am super excited! I am cooking the national dish of every country and Bachrain came up a couple of weeks ago, so I got my limes to make loomi, and it is finally ready!! (I live in Southeast Texas and it rains a lot!!! So had to put in in my biltong maker). But the time has come!! Yay!!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s exciting, Beatrix, and I’m glad you were able to locate the loomi! Happy cooking and please let us know what you think!
Beatrix Burger says
This was absolutely delicious!!!!!! Will definitely make again and again and again!! Can you tell me how to store the rest of the loomi I made? Do they have to be entirely dry? Because some still feel puffy and I’m not sure if I can store them or if they will go bad. I boiled key lime in salted water for 20 minutes, and then I put it in my dehydrator and had it there for 2 weeks (I had them out in the sun when the sun was actually out but that was maybe 3 times only). Thanks!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Beatrix, I’m so glad you enjoyed it, thank you! Probably the safest bet for storing your homemade loomi is to freeze them. That way if they’re not “completely” dried out you won’t run the risk of them spoiling or getting moldy.
Carrie Dault says
Hi. Any suggestions for substituting the loomi? Can’t find in my area:(
Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Carrie, it’s not the same but you can substitute the lemon zest from 1/2 lemon. The machboos will still be delicious! :)
Suzanne Baruch says
I just wanted to let you know that I’ve made your recipe at least 6 times (and there’s a batch cooking as I write this). It’s a HOME RUN. I’ve never tasted Machboos made by anyone else, so I would have no idea how authentic this tastes, but to me it’s absolutely one of the most delicious recipes I’ve ever made (and I’ve been cooking on an advanced level for years). THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this with all of us!
Suzanne Baruch says
p.s. — I did add a bit of Allspice to the Baharat, as I’ve read that some other blends include this. I love Allspice, so for me that’s one of the things that really makes the blend “pop.”
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Suzanne, I’m absolutely thrilled to hear that, thank you!
Usha Murugaiyan says
Thanks, Kimberly for sharing this recipe. I did this over the weekend and it was success. My family loved it. Once again thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so glad, Usha, thank you!
Neyha says
Hi!
I noticed that the Baharat seasoning recipe here is slightly different than the one you posted on a different page: https://www.daringgourmet.com/baharat-middle-eastern-spice-blend/
Specifically, the amounts for cardamom seeds, paprika, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Was planning on making the blend and storing in a jar for later use so I was wondering which one would be best to follow?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Neyha, the baharat blend for the chicken machboos take the other flavors/ingredients into consideration as well for an overall balanced flavor. If what you’re looking for is a making a straight up baharat blend to put in a jar and use for a variety of recipes, then I would use the baharat spice blend link.
Neyha says
Got it, thank you!!
Dhannya says
I grew up in Bahrain and my folks are still there. My mom makes this often. I can definitely vouch for this recipe
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Dhannya!
Sweetlin Amazon says
Looks flavorful. I’m going to make this for my one weekend from now. My children would love it.