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Chicken Mandi

Chicken Mandi is a flavorful Yemeni dish featuring tender chicken and aromatic yellow rice, enriched with a blend of spices and garnished for texture and sweetness.
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: Yemeni
Calories: 550
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Spices
  • 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds Toasted
  • 1 teaspoon whole cloves Toasted
  • 6 pods green cardamom pods Toasted
  • 1.5 teaspoons cumin seeds Toasted
  • 1 stick cinnamon Toasted
  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns Toasted
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Chicken
  • 4 legs full chicken legs, skin on, bone in Juicy and tender
Rice & Broth
  • 3 cups basmati rice Soaked until water runs clear
  • 4.5 cups water or broth For cooking the rice
Garnishes and Vegetables
  • 4 small onions Thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup slivered almonds Fried for garnish
  • 1/4 cup raisins Fried for garnish
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil For frying onions

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Toast the dry spices (except for the turmeric) in a skillet over medium heat for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, then remove from heat.
  2. Grind the toasted spices into a fine powder, reserving 2 teaspoons for the rice, and mix the rest with turmeric for the chicken.
  3. Add kosher salt and olive oil to the spice blend to make a marinade. Rub this mixture over the chicken legs.
  4. Marinate the chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 30 minutes.
Cooking the Chicken
  1. Slice the onions thinly for even cooking.
  2. Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat and fry the onions until golden brown, about 10-15 minutes. Reserve 3 tablespoons of fried onions.
  3. Add the reserved spice mix for rice and dried limes to the remaining onions in the pot, cooking for a few minutes.
  4. Add 2 cups of water, place a steaming rack on top, and add the marinated chicken. Cover and steam for about 50 minutes.
Cooking the Rice
  1. Bake the chicken at 400°F for 20 minutes and broil for an additional 5 minutes until golden.
  2. Wash and soak the basmati rice. Grind saffron and mix with hot water to bloom.
  3. Reserve the broth from steaming the chicken, measuring out 4.5 cups.
  4. In the pot with broth, add turmeric, salt, and bloomed saffron. Bring to a boil, then add rice, cover with a paper towel under the lid, and reduce heat to medium-low, cooking undisturbed for 20 minutes.
  5. Fluff the rice with a fork and let it sit for 10 minutes. Fry the almonds and toast the raisins.
Assembly
  1. Layer yellow rice in a large serving platter, top with fried onions, almonds, raisins, and arrange the chicken on top. Garnish with parsley if desired.

Notes

For a richer flavor, use ghee instead of olive oil for frying. Always soak rice to ensure fluffiness. For heat, add fresh chili peppers or cayenne to the spice mix.