Lebanese Chicken and Rice

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium–high heat. Add the chicken and sear, season with salt and bharat. Cook until well browned on all sides. Add the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom and peppercorns, then pour in enough water to cover the chicken by at least 2-3 cm. Bring to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and skim any foam. Simmer for an 1 hour to an hour and a half.  Lift the chicken out to cool slightly, then strain the stock. Taste and adjust the salt. Shred the chicken into chunky pieces (not too fine) and set aside. Keep 2 ½–3 cups of the stock (it doesn’t have to be hot) ready for the rice; Freeze the remainder for another use.

In a small pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat and fry the pine nuts until golden; lift onto paper towel. Fry the slivered almonds separately and drain. Tip this nut-oil from the small pot into the medium non-stick pot you’ll use for the rice (you can fry the nuts in the same pot if you prefer, but a small pot is easier).

You may need to add 1-2 tablespoons of extra olive oil.  Add the diced onion and cook over medium heat until translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the lamb mince and sauté, breaking it up well, until browned but still moist. Stir in the bharat and Vegeta (or salt) and cook until combined.

Rinse the basmati rice under cold water (no soaking), drain well, and add it to the pot with the mince and onions; coat well. Pour in 2 ½–3 cups of the chicken stock, just enough to cover the rice by a little. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 7 minutes, gently stir the rice. Cover and cook for another 7 minutes, then stir once more, taking care not to mash the grains. Cover again and cook for a further 5–7 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.

Spoon into a large serving dish. Arrange the chunky shredded chicken over the top. Scatter generously with the toasted almonds and pine nuts. Finish with chopped parsley and, if in season, a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds for colour. Serve hot.

A FEW THINGS YOU’LL WANT TO KNOW

Can I swap lamb for beef in the rice?
Absolutely. Lamb is richer and more traditional, but beef works too—keep the same method and seasoning.

Can I make the chicken ahead of time?
Yes. Do it the night before. Remove the chicken from the stock, shred it, and store it in a container. Chill the strained stock separately.

What do I do with leftover stock?
Freeze it. Next time you make this rice without chicken, use that stock instead of water. Your freezer is your friend—label it and you’re set.

Can I roast/fry the nuts in advance?
Yes. I often keep a jar of ready nuts (fried or roasted) in the freezer—handy for Ramadan and last- minute hosting.

My rice finished cooking but looks a touch wet—now what?
Turn off the heat, remove the lid, and let it rest so the steam dries it out. Basmati is forgiving.

Why don’t you soak the rice?
A good rinse is usually enough. If your rice variety takes longer to cook, you can soak—soaking simply helps the process.

Do I have to use the nut oil in the rice?
Yes, it’s where the flavour builds. Frying nuts first perfumes the oil; cooking the onions and mince in it makes the rice taste authentic.

Why keep the chicken in chunks?
For contrast—fluffy rice, savoury mince, and juicy chicken in every spoonful.

Can I serve the rice without the chicken?
Definitely. This rice is a stand-alone staple across Arab homes—make it with water (no stock) and skip the nuts if you like. I’ll link my basic version here.

Do you have a vegetarian/vegan option?
Yes. I created a delicious plant-based version from this base: remove the meat, add chickpeas, and layer in roasted eggplant. It’s naturally gluten-free and perfect for guests—even non-vegans love it. Recipe here.

Why Vegeta (Fujetta) and not plain salt?
 Vegeta seasons and salts in one step. It includes dehydrated vegetables and spices that add savoury depth, while plain salt only brings salinity. If you use Vegeta, skip extra salt. If you choose plain salt instead, just salt to taste and keep the rest of the recipe the same.

Do I have to stir the rice, or can I leave it covered?
You’ve got two honest ways. Some people (like my mum) don’t stir at all—lid on, low heat, 20–25 minutes until done. I was taught as a beginner to stir every ~7 minutes (three times total). It’s safer: when you lift the lid to stir from the bottom to the top, you’ll feel if the heat’s too high or if anything’s starting to stick—and you can fix it on the spot. I still prefer this for peace of mind.

How do I stop the rice catching on the base?
Keep the heat on low once it comes to a simmer, use a non-stick pot with a tight lid.  Do me a favour and try the rice that sticks, it's delicious!