Kabsa – 2-Hour Recipe
Kabsa is a fragrant Saudi Arabian rice dish featuring a whole chicken cooked in a richly spiced sauce with orange zest, then baked to a golden finish and served over basmati rice. A fresh, chunky tomato‑onion‑mint sauce (taqos) adds brightness and heat, making it a hearty centerpiece for family gatherings.
Recipe by chefjjskitchen· Structured by ReelsMeals
From: TikTok(view original)
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Prep Time
Cook Time
Servings
Ingredients
- 1 piece carrot
- a touch ghee
- 12 spices cardamom
- 12 spices cinnamon
- 12 spices cumin
- 12 spices coriander
- 12 spices nutmeg
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 piece chicken stock cube
- 1 piece whole chicken
- 2 cups water
- 2 pieces orange zest
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 piece orange zest
- nuts, optional
Taqos
- a couple tomatoes
- a couple onion
- a few spicy chilies
- bell pepper, optional
- a few garlic
- a peeled lemon
- a nice bunch fresh mint
- a pinch salt
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin powder
Instructions
- 1Finely dice one onion and grate one carrot until very fine so they dissolve in the sauce.
- 2Heat a touch of ghee in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the diced onion and grated carrot for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.
- 3Add the 12 whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, nutmeg) and toast for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until their aroma is released.
- 4Stir in the tomato puree, crumble in the chicken stock cube, and add a pinch of salt; continue to sauté for another 2 minutes to blend the flavors.
- 5Place the whole chicken into the pot, pour in 2 cups of water, and add the zest of two oranges. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through.
- 6Preheat the oven’s broiler to high (about 500°F / 500°F). Transfer the cooked chicken to a baking tray, brush it with some of the cooking stock, and broil for 5–7 minutes, or until the skin is nicely browned and caramelized.
- 7While the chicken is broiling, wash and soak 2 cups of basmati rice in warm water for 30 minutes, then drain.
- 8Prepare the taqos sauce (see component below) by blending tomatoes, onion, chilies (or optional bell pepper), garlic, peeled lemon, fresh mint, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp coriander powder, and ½ tsp cumin powder until chunky but well combined.
- 9Add the drained rice to the pot with the chicken, pour in an additional 2 cups of water (the water level should be about 1 cm above the rice), and add the zest of another orange. Bring to a rapid boil, then cook uncovered for 6–7 minutes until the rice begins to expand.
- 10Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot tightly, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- 11Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, still covered, for another 20 minutes to allow the rice to steam and become fluffy.
- 12Fluff the rice gently with a fork, arrange the broiled chicken halves on top of the rice bed, garnish with optional fried nuts, and serve with the prepared taqos sauce.
Helpful tips while cooking
AI-assisted notes grounded in this recipe's ingredients, timings, and method—not additional creator instructions.
Prep the rice ahead
Wash, soak, and drain the basmati rice before the chicken finishes broiling.
Maintain water level for rice
Add water until it sits about 1 cm above the rice before boiling, as specified in the rice cooking step.
Cover tightly for the final steam
After simmering, turn off the heat and let the pot sit, still covered, for 20 minutes to steam the rice.
Blend taqos sauce just before serving
Prepare the chunky tomato‑onion‑mint sauce while the chicken broils.
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ReelsMeals turns tiktok.com into a kitchen-friendly checklist while keeping the original source attached.
Cooking context
2 hr estimated total time for 4 servings.
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Frequently asked questions
- How long does it take to make Kabsa?
- About 2 hours in total: 30 minutes of prep and 1 hour 30 minutes of cooking.
- How many servings does this Kabsa recipe make?
- This recipe makes 4 servings as written; ingredient quantities on this page can be scaled.
- Where does this Kabsa recipe come from?
- It was shared by chefjjskitchen on tiktok.com. ReelsMeals structured the original post into this step-by-step card; the original is linked above.