Creamy Kabsa Chicken

Name: Creamy Kabsa Chicken
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 50 ml olive oil; 50 g unsalted butter; 140 g yellow onion; 150 g tomato; 3 garlic cloves; 20 g fresh cilantro; 80 g bell pepper; 45 g unsalted cashews; 50 g crème fraîche or Greek yogurt; 70 g tomato paste; 30 g fried onions; 8 g paprika; 8 g mild cayennepepper; 2 g black pepper; 3 g garlic powder; 4 g ground coriander; 5 g garam masala; 4 g salt; 1 chicken bouillon cube; 275 ml water; 850 g chicken thighs; 125 ml heavy cream; 375 ml water; 4 g salt; 400 g basmati rice

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Najat

Photo by Najat

Creamy chicken kabsa is my cozy twist on the classic Saudi chicken and rice dish: tender chicken in a spiced tomato cream sauce, with the rice cooked right in that same sauce. If you love butter chicken, this kabsa recipe will be your new favorite creamy chicken and rice dinner.

60 minutes

4 Portions

Easy

What Is Kabsa?

Kabsa is an Arabian rice dish, most closely linked to Saudi Arabia, where it’s considered the national dish. It’s also popular across the Gulf. This creamy chicken kabsa is not the traditional version: it’s my own twist on this Arabian chicken and rice dish. I simmer the chicken in a spiced tomato sauce made silky with cream and blended vegetables, for a richer, creamier result.

Ingredients for Creamy Chicken Kabsa

You’ll find the full list with measurements in the recipe card below. These are the key ingredients:

Chicken thighs: I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They stay juicy and tender, even after simmering in the sauce for a while. Traditional kabsa often uses bone-in, skin-on chicken, but that doesn’t work as well for this creamy version: the sauce doesn’t cling to the skin, while boneless pieces get coated with all that creamy flavor.
Cashews and cream: the creamy twist. The cashews are blended into the sauce, and the cream makes it silky.
Garam masala, cayenne and paprika: warm and spicy. I use mild cayenne. If you only have regular (hot) cayenne, use no more than 2 g (⅔ tsp).
Basmati rice: long, fluffy grains that soak up the sauce without turning mushy.
Fried onions: they add a sweet, toasty flavor. You’ll find them in almost every grocery store.

How to Make Kabsa Rice in the Sauce

This is what makes kabsa so good: the rice doesn’t cook in plain water, but in the same spiced sauce as the chicken. After you take out part of the sauce for the creamy chicken, you add water to the rest and cook the rice in it. Every grain soaks up the flavor of the tomatoes, spices and cashews. The rice usually takes 18–25 minutes, depending on the type you use. If the pan looks dry before the rice is tender, add a splash of water, put the lid back on and let it cook a little longer over low heat.

Ingredients

Portions

CHICKEN AND SAUCE

50 ml olive oil, (3½ tbsp)

50 g unsalted butter, (3½ tbsp)

140 g yellow onion, chopped (1 medium onion)

150 g tomato, (1 medium tomato)

3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

20 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (about ¾ cup)

80 g bell pepper, chopped (about ½ cup)

45 g unsalted cashews, roughly chopped (⅓ cup)

50 g crème fraîche or Greek yogurt, ( ¼ cup)

70 g tomato paste, (4½ tbsp)

30 g fried onions, (½ cup)

8 g paprika, (2⅔ tsp)

8 g mild cayennepepper, (2⅔ tsp)

2 g black pepper, (⅔ tsp)

3 g garlic powder, (1 tsp)

4 g ground coriander, (1⅓ tsp)

5 g garam masala, (1⅔ tsp)

4 g salt, (⅔ tsp)

1 chicken bouillon cube

275 ml water, (1 cup + 2 tbsp)

850 g chicken thighs, (2 lbs)

125 ml heavy cream, (½ cup)

RICE

375 ml water, (1½ cups)

4 g salt, (⅔ tsp)

400 g basmati rice, rinsed (2 cups)

Instructions

Ingrediënten voor kip kabsa met ui, tomaat, knoflook, paprika en cashewnoten

Chop the onion, tomato and bell pepper. Roughly chop the garlic, cilantro and cashews.

Ui, tomaat, knoflook, koriander, paprika en cashewnoten bakken in olijfolie en roomboter

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, tomato, garlic, cilantro, bell pepper and cashews. Cook for 4–5 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.

Tomatenpuree, crème fraîche en specerijen worden toegevoegd aan de gebakken groenten voor kip kabsa

Stir in the crème fraîche (or Greek yogurt), tomato paste, fried onions, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, garlic powder, ground coriander, garam masala and salt. Crumble the bouillon cube over the pan and stir well. Cook for a few minutes to let the flavors come together.

Kippendijen garen in de kruidige tomatensaus voor kip kabsa

Pour in 275 ml (1 cup + 2 tbsp) of water and add the chicken thighs. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Gegaarde kippendijen worden uit de kruidige saus gehaald voor kip kabsa

Carefully remove the chicken and set it aside.

Groentesaus voor kip kabsa wordt met een staafmixer glad gepureerd

Blend the vegetable mixture with an immersion blender until smooth.

Malse kippendijen met slagroom in een romige kruidige tomatensaus

Transfer about 400 g (1⅔ cups) of the sauce to a separate pan. Add the heavy cream and the chicken thighs. Stir well and simmer over low heat until the chicken is coated in the creamy sauce.

Water en zout worden door de overgebleven kruidige saus voor kip kabsa geroerd

Add 375 ml (1½ cups) of water and the salt to the remaining sauce. Stir and bring to a boil. Add the rinsed rice, stir, and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 18–25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

Kip kabsa met malse kip en kruidige rijst in tomatensaus

Spoon the rice onto a platter and top with the creamy chicken. Garnish with extra cilantro and toasted cashews.

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Creamy Kabsa Chicken

60 minutes · 4 porties · Easy

Ingredients

50 ml olive oil ((3½ tbsp))
50 g unsalted butter ((3½ tbsp))
140 g yellow onion (chopped (1 medium onion))
150 g tomato ((1 medium tomato))
3 garlic cloves (roughly chopped)
20 g fresh cilantro (roughly chopped (about ¾ cup))
80 g bell pepper (chopped (about ½ cup))
45 g unsalted cashews (roughly chopped (⅓ cup))
50 g crème fraîche or Greek yogurt (( ¼ cup))
70 g tomato paste ((4½ tbsp))
30 g fried onions ((½ cup))
8 g paprika ((2⅔ tsp))
8 g mild cayennepepper ((2⅔ tsp))
2 g black pepper ((⅔ tsp))
3 g garlic powder ((1 tsp))
4 g ground coriander ((1⅓ tsp))
5 g garam masala ((1⅔ tsp))
4 g salt ((⅔ tsp))
1 chicken bouillon cube
275 ml water ((1 cup + 2 tbsp))
850 g chicken thighs ((2 lbs))
125 ml heavy cream ((½ cup))
375 ml water ((1½ cups))
4 g salt ((⅔ tsp))
400 g basmati rice (rinsed (2 cups))

Instructions

Chop the onion, tomato and bell pepper. Roughly chop the garlic, cilantro and cashews.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, tomato, garlic, cilantro, bell pepper and cashews. Cook for 4–5 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.
Stir in the crème fraîche (or Greek yogurt), tomato paste, fried onions, paprika, cayenne, black pepper, garlic powder, ground coriander, garam masala and salt. Crumble the bouillon cube over the pan and stir well. Cook for a few minutes to let the flavors come together.
Pour in 275 ml (1 cup + 2 tbsp) of water and add the chicken thighs. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Carefully remove the chicken and set it aside.
Blend the vegetable mixture with an immersion blender until smooth.
Transfer about 400 g (1⅔ cups) of the sauce to a separate pan. Add the heavy cream and the chicken thighs. Stir well and simmer over low heat until the chicken is coated in the creamy sauce.
Add 375 ml (1½ cups) of water and the salt to the remaining sauce. Stir and bring to a boil. Add the rinsed rice, stir, and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 18–25 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
Spoon the rice onto a platter and top with the creamy chicken. Garnish with extra cilantro and toasted cashews.

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Creamy Kabsa Chicken

What Is Kabsa?

Ingredients for Creamy Chicken Kabsa

How to Make Kabsa Rice in the Sauce

Ingredients

CHICKEN AND SAUCE

RICE

Instructions

Related recipes

Butter Chicken

Mango Lassi

Chicken Tikka Masala Stuffed Rolls

Buffalo Chicken Rolls

0 Comments

Heb jij dit recept gemaakt?

Cancel reply

Creamy Kabsa Chicken

Ingredients

Instructions

Ingredients

Ingredients

CHICKEN AND SAUCE

RICE