Chicken Madhfoon - Middle Eastern Flavourful Rice Dish

Name: Chicken Madhfoon - Middle Eastern Flavourful Rice Dish
Total time: 2700 s
Yield: 6-7 servings
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 kg Chicken (bone-in each cut into 6-7 pieces); 2-3 tbsp Baharat spice blend; 500 gm Yoghurt; 2 tbsp Lemon juice; 2 Maggi seasoning cubes; 2 tsp Salt or to taste; 1 tbsp Kashmiri Red Chilli powder; 1 tsp Turmeric powder; 1 tsp Cumin powder; 1 tsp Black Pepper powder; 2 tbsp Olive Oil; 5-6 cloves Garlic; 2-3 roughly chopped Tomatoes; 2-3 Green Chillies; 1-2 tbsp Oil; 2 chopped or sliced Onions; 1-2 Bay Leaves; 1 tsp Caraway Seeds or Shahjeera; 2 dried Black Lemons; 2 whole cut and marinated pieces of Chicken; 2 thickly sliced Potatoes; 1 Green sliced Bell Pepper; 1 Red sliced Bell Pepper; 1 Yellow sliced Bell Pepper; 1-2 sliced Big Eggplants; 1 kg Basmati Rice; 1 Bay Leaf; 1 inch Cinnamon stick; 2-3 Cardamoms; 8-10 Saffron strands

ZMA @zesty5

#NDD
#cookpadindia
#middleeastern
#newrecipe
Madhfoon is a popular Non-Veg Rice dish from the Middle East. In this particular variation of Rice dish from the Middle Eastern cuisine, the meat is well marinated and then slow cooked in a pit or an underground oven, with the heat almost trapped around it. The term Madfoon means 'buried' in Arabic. This slow and indirect cooking method makes the meat juicy and succulent. The deep slow developed flavours are the hallmark of this dish. Like almost all dishes, this one has variations as well. It is made with Lamb, Beef and Chicken. The cooking time would of course differ with each accordingly.
I always stress on this important point in all my recipes that call for marination is that a good dish with a good marination would always stand out. The taste and the texture both would turn out perfect. Therefore it is always recommended by me to marinate overnight for best results. It is a popular and a traditional dish associated with Yemen and broader Arabian Gulf cuisine. It is often served with fried Nuts, Saffron flavoured Basmati Rice and Salad along with a sauce or a Chutney called Zhoug/Dakous/Salata Hara. This is the most easily made dish but of course in an electric oven or frying and then given the smoky effect with a Dungar method. It is the closest to the original method and would definitely be loved by all. Give it a try and experience it's unique taste and texture with your families.

Enjoy Cooking with Zeen!

ZMA @zesty5

Enjoy Cooking with Zeen!

Saved

Ingredients

40-45 minutes

6-7 servings

For the marination -
2 kgChicken (bone-in each cut into 6-7 pieces)
2-3 tbspBaharat spice blend
500 gmYoghurt
2 tbspLemon juice
2Maggi seasoning cubes
2 tspSalt or to taste
1 tbspKashmiri Red Chilli powder
1 tspTurmeric powder
1 tspCumin powder
1 tspBlack Pepper powder
2 tbspOlive Oil
5-6 clovesGarlic
2-3roughly chopped Tomatoes
2-3Green Chillies
For the Vegetables -
1-2 tbspOil
2chopped or sliced Onions
1-2Bay Leaves
1 tspCaraway Seeds or Shahjeera
2dried Black Lemons
2whole cut and marinated pieces of Chicken
2thickly sliced Potatoes
1Green sliced Bell Pepper
1Red sliced Bell Pepper
1Yellow sliced Bell Pepper
1-2sliced Big Eggplants
For cooking the Rice -
1 kgBasmati Rice
1Bay Leaf
1 inchCinnamon stick
2-3Cardamoms
8-10Saffron strands
as neededWater

Saved

Steps

40-45 minutes

1

Add all the ingredients to a grinder jar that have been mentioned under the heading marination. Grind to a smooth paste and marinate chicken with this paste and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator well covered. This marination is an important step and should not be skipped.
2

All the rice dishes of the Middle Eastern cuisine calls for a good marination for the meat to be succulent and juicy after being cooked. Overnight marination is the best always.
3

Meanwhile soak basmati rice in enough water for an hour. In a cooking pot, heat oil and saute onions until golden. Also add a teaspoon of caraway seeds or shahjeera and 1-2 bay leaves. Now add marinated chicken to it and sear well. Do it on a medium high to a high heat. Keep stirring at regular intervals.
4

When the chicken looks browned and the raw smell gone. Carefully remove it onto a plate. Now here it can be either deep fried to crisp and golden or baked or grilled. I prefer frying it just until a little crisp and nicely browned on top. The chicken would be juicy and succulent yet crisp and flavourful.
5

To the same pot with all the well sauteed remaining marinated masala and the onions, add slices of mixed vegetables to it. Arrange them with potatoes on the lower side. On top of them bell peppers and then the eggplants if desired. Cover and let it simmer on a low heat. Do not add any water.
6

Add water, cardamoms, cinnamon, bay leaf and saffron to a pot for cooking rice. Bring it to a rolling boil. Add soaked and drained rice to it. Cook until almost 80% done.
7

Add cooked rice to the pot with the vegetables. Arrange fried chicken pieces on top of the rice. Simmer on a low heat until rice and chicken gets cooked through. Keep it covered undisturbed for a good 30 minutes.
8

Finally it is time for a smoky effect. Place a heated coal bricket in a small bowl. Pour a teaspoon of melted ghee or butter on it. Cover the pot right away for the smoke to infuse well into the pot with rice and chicken. Keep it covered undisturbed for the next 10-12 minutes.
9

Carefully slide the lid of the pot and remove the bowl with the coal. Fluff rice gently and it's perfectly done to be served and relished with your loved ones. Serve it piping hot alongside a simple sauce Salata Hara and lots of Salad. Enjoy!

Arabic Dip Salata Hara

Tips

For extra flavour, you can add fried Nuts or Raisins as a topping on the beautiful looking Rice dish.

Linked Recipes

Arabic Dip Salata Hara

Saved

Cooksnaps

Saved

ZMA @zesty5

on September 24, 2025 10:28

Homemaker by choice and a passionate cook by heart. An aspiring cook who actually never knew anything about Cooking until i became a mother myself.With Motherhood came the responsibilities as well and this was the turning point in my life.I started to learn the ABC's of cooking, taking help from my mother and my MIL. And time just flew. I spread my wings higher and higher. With my love for excellence and innovation, i stepped into a world of homecooks with my exposure to Cookpad one fine day on the social media. And there was no looking back since then and i have not only shared recipes here on this wonderful platform but also have made some lovely friends as well. Today iam successful because of my hard work, dedication and loads of good wishes of my family and my kids in particular.