Chicken Mandi


Chicken Mandi - is a delicious middle- eastern rice and chicken dish, where the rice is cooked in the chicken broth and the chicken is grilled and served together with spicy Shatta (Spicy Arabic sauce).
Ever since the covid - 19 scare has started in the U.a.e. The kids have been home. and everyday my lil E wants to eat 'BLOG' FOOD! lol thats what he calls the dishes I make (for the blog). So I had bought a whole chicken to bake it with veggies. but as hubby was home too today and we generally make rice for lunch, I thought of make Chicken Mandi. Im glad I gave it a try.. as it turned out so amazing! guess I'll be having the left over for dinner as well! (hehe)
It is one of my favorite rice dishes, and every place has its own version of mandi rice. But this recipe comes very close in taste to what we eat here at restaurants. So, do give it a try and let me know how it comes out. 

Chicken Mandi
Serves - 5-6
Duration - 90 mins

Ingredients
  1. Sella Basmati Rice - 7 cup (1 kg)
  2. Chicken - 1 whole (with skin)
  3. Onion (Sliced)- 3 medium 
  4. Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp
  5. Garlic cloves - 5-6 (chopped)
  6. Dried black lemon - 2
  7. Pepper Corn - 1/2 tsp
  8. Cardamom - 2 piece
  9. Cloves - 2 piece
  10. Cinnamon - 1 stick
  11. Green chilli - 3-5 (slit)
  12. Salt - 2 - 3 tsp (to taste)
  13. Chicken stock cubes - 2 (optional)
  14. White pepper - 1/2 tsp
  15. Ghee - 2 tbsp
  16. Oil- 3 tbsp
  17. Saffron - A pinch soaked in 1/2 cup warm milk
  18. Baharat ready made Spice Mix - 3- 4 tbsp    (If you cant find the ready to use spices, use the recipe below:)

Ingredients for kabsa (Baharat) spice mix
  • Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
  • cloves- 1 tsp
  • cumin seeds - 1 & 1/2 tsp
  • black pepper  - 1tsp
  • cardamom - 1/2 tsp
  • Nutmeg - small piece
  • turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Combine all the spices and grind them to a fine powder.

Chicken Marination (for grilling)
  • Yogurt - 1 tbsp
  • Red chillipowder - 1 tsp
  • Baharat spice - 1 tbsp
  • Haldi - 1/2 tsp
  • Red food color - a pinch




​Method -

  • ​Wash the chicken and set aside.
  • Soak rice in water 
  • Heat oil, add the ghee, once hot, add the sliced onions,when the onions turns transparent add the ginger garlic paste, saute for a minute, now add the chicken, once the chicken is browned on both sides.
  • Once the chicken turns brown, add chopped garlic and green chillies
  • Add white pepper, baharat spice, salt. mix well
  • Now add 6 glasses of water, add the bay leaves, black pepper corn, cloves, cardamom , cinnamon.
  • Crack the dried lemon and add it too.
  • let it cook on high flame, till the it starts to boil.
  • Now, close the lid, and reduce it to medium-low heat, let it cook for 45 - 50 minutes.
  • After that, remove the Chicken (very carefully using two big spoons as it will be very tender) and keep aside, remove the dried lemon, cinnamon , bay leaves. 
  • Now add the soaked rice to the chicken broth. and let it cook till very little water is left and the water level is same as rice, then add the saffron in milk, cover with an aluminium foil and close the lid, keep this on dum for 15- 20 mins or until the rice is fully cooked. (that is, place the cooking pot on an iron pan on low heat) 
  • Now take a small bowl and add 1 tbsp yogurt with 1 tsp red chilli powder, with the baharat masala (1 tbsp),and salt to taste, and one pinch of red color  and rub it on the chicken 
  • keep the chicken in the oven , till the chicken turns crispy and golden-brown.
  • Once the rice is cooked, place it on a big plate and place the chicken on top of it.
  • Delicious Chicken Mandi is ready to be served, Serve it hot along with delicious and cool  Shatta (Spicy Arabic sauce) . 
  • ​ENJOY!