Kabse — a fragrant Saudi spiced rice with chicken and vegetables, brightened with turmeric and raisins, then finished in the oven. A comforting one-pot feast.
Kabsa is a fragrant Saudi rice dish — spiced chicken and vegetables cooked with rice, raisins and warm kabsa spices into a colourful, aromatic one-pot meal. It's the kind of generous, comforting dish made for sharing. Sweet raisins, tender chicken and golden turmeric rice make every bite full of flavour.
Prep 15 min
Cook 50 min
Total 65 min
Medium
- 400g Chicken
- 1 cup Rice
- 1 Green Pepper
- 1 Red Pepper
- 2 Mushrooms
- 1 Sweetcorn
- 2 Carrots
- Handful Raisins
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Kabse Spice
- Pinch Salt
- Pinch Black Pepper
Video
Preparation
- Caramelise the chicken in olive oil, then add a stock cube and boil for around 30 minutes.
- In another pot, sauté all the vegetables until soft.
- Add the rice, raisins and spices to the vegetables, along with 2½ cups of water for the rice to cook.
- Once the rice is done, put everything in the oven.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Brown the chicken first to build a savoury base of flavour.
- Bloom the spices briefly so their aroma fully develops.
- Use the chicken cooking stock to cook the rice for maximum flavour.
- Finish in the oven, covered, so the rice steams to a fluffy, even texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
A warm Middle Eastern blend that typically includes cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black lime, cumin and coriander. You can buy it ready-mixed or make your own.
Yes — kabsa is also made with lamb, beef or shrimp. Adjust the cooking time to suit the protein you choose.
They add little bursts of sweetness that balance the warm spices and savoury chicken, a hallmark of the dish.
Long-grain basmati gives the fluffiest, most fragrant result. Rinse it well before cooking for separate grains.
