Chicken Mandi (Yemeni Chicken & Rice)

One of the most beloved chicken and rice dishes - the classic Yemeni Chicken Mandi. What's not to love? Perfectly spiced succulent chicken, layered on top of glistening yellow rice and garnished with fried onions, almonds and raisins. You'll nail it with this perfect recipe!

What is Chicken Mandi?

Chicken Mandi is a popular authentic Yemeni dish that consists of 3 components: chicken (or any other meat), a Yemeni spice mix called "Hawaij", and rice. Sounds like a simple dish, right? Wrong! Because the authenticity is all in the cooking method! Mandi is traditionally slow cooked in an underground "oven", called a Taboon. It's basically like a big hole with lots of coal inside, and the chicken and rice are cooked inside, with the chicken on a rack on top of the rice so all the juices can drip into the pot.

Because it slow cooks on coals, it inherits a delicious smoky flavour. And because it takes a while to make it, its usually only served at special occasions and celebrations. Now I'll admit this: as much as I LOVE Yemeni cuisine, I don't think I've ever had Mandi that has been cooked in the traditional way. At least I think. My favourite is from my local Yemeni restaurant Monasaba, and theirs has been my inspiration!

This recipe is of course not cooked in the traditional way, but rather made for the modern kitchen. The result is super delicious, and its really easy to make. So grab your Hawaij mix and let's get going!

Chicken Mandi vs. Chicken Machboos

To some it might be confusing what the difference is between Chicken Mandi and Chicken Machboos. Meat and rice are the two main components of both dishes, but they differ in a few ingredients and cooking method. Mandi is cooked in a Taboon, while machboos is cooked layered all in one pot. Also, mandi uses saffron and turmeric for that yellow rice, while the colour of machboos rice is brownish/red from the tomato paste used in the cooking sauce. Both are delicious and worth making. Also, sometimes people confuse Arabic biryani with machboos, but that is a totally different flavour and texture! For more rice dishes, check out my rice round up which includes a variety of delicious rice recipes.

What is "Hawaij" spice blend?

Firstly, there are so many websites out there that claim "Hawaij" means mixture. It actually does not. The word is Arabic and translates to "necessities" or "basic needs". That's because in Yemeni cuisine, this spice blend is a "go-to" and its like saying its all you need. Which is very true. Its one of my favourite blends, embodying the true middle eastern warm spice flavours.

Here are the typical components of Hawaij:

• Coriander seeds
• Cumin seeds
• Green Cardamom
• Cinnamon
• Cloves
• Black peppercorns
• Turmeric (not pictured)

I highly recommend buying the spices whole, toasting them and grinding them. It makes a world of a difference and its actually really quick if you have a spice or coffee grinder.

Notes on the Ingredients for Chicken Mandi

Aside from the whole spices (which are very available everywhere), you really don't need much more. Here are some notes on the ingredients:

• Rice; I use long grain basmati for the best results
• Onions; definitely use white onions and slice them evenly. These are key!
• Chicken; I like to use bone-in full chicken legs. Using bone in chicken keeps it really tender and juicy. I don't recommend you use breast for this recipe.
• The Hawaij spice blend
• Bay leaves; these are optional but add a lovely aroma
• Dry lime; find these at your local middle eastern store. If you really can't find them you can skip them but they add a deep earthy citrusy flavour that can't be replicated with any other ingredient
• Saffron; just a small amount will go a long way. They add to the yellow pigment and also give a beautiful taste and aroma. But saffron is expensive so if you don't have it feel free to skip it.
• Almonds and Raisins; for that final touch in the form of garnish!

How to make this recipe, step by step

• Step 1, make the Hawaij spice blend so the chicken can have time to marinate. Place all the spices (except for the turmeric and bay leaves) into a pan and toast them for 2-3 minutes on medium high until you start to smell them. Keep an eye out because they burn quickly (I burned my first batch sadly).

• Place the spices in a spice or coffee grinder and grind until a fine powder forms. You're done!

• Now you can remove two teaspoons of the spice mix and set aside for the rice, then use the remaining for the chicken. Mix it with the turmeric and salt, then add the olive oil to create a paste. Slather it all over the chicken and marinate overnight for maximum flavour. But a few hours is fine too.

• When you are ready to start making the dish, thinly slice the onions ensuring you slice as evenly as possible. You can use a mandolin if you have one. Even sizes help them fry evenly.
• In a pot, add the oil and then drop in the onions while oil is still cold. Fry for 15-20 minutes, stirring them around every few minutes.
• Since we are not deep frying, they won't get extremely crunchy, but that's totally fine. This is the simplest method I found that allows you to use all the onion infused oil in your rice.

• Once the onions are golden brown, remove them with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, but leave approximately 3 tablespoons in the pot (to be used for the rice). Be sure to spread them out in one layer to give them a chance to crisp up.

• Now its time to make the rice broth. Keep frying up the onions in the oil, in the same pot, and add the hawaij spice blend, and the dried lime. Before you add the dried lime, pierce them a couple of times with a knife (very carefully).
• Once the spices are toasted, add the bay leaves and the water and bring to a boil

• To steam the chicken, place a steaming rack in the pot (or a small stainless steel wire rack if you don't have a steamer rack), place the chicken on the rack, then cover and steam for 50 minutes.

• Once the chicken is really tender, remove it from the pot and place it on a baking sheet to broil for 10 minutes. This steps gives you a deeply golden crust on the chicken.
• While doing that, bloom the saffron by grinding them in a mortar and pestle then allowing to bloom in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of hot water. You will end up with a vibrant yellow liquid.
• Now its time to strain the broth that was used to steam the chicken. Reserve the liquid and measure it out to exactly 1.5 cups of liquid to 1 cup of rice. Add water to the broth if needed.

• Add the strained broth back into the same pot, then add the turmeric, the bloomed saffron and the salt.
• Next add the washed and soaked rice (soaking for only 10 minutes), give it a good mix, then bring the pot to a boil
• Once bubbling for a few minutes and most of the liquid has evaporated, cover with a paper towel and the pot lid to keep it fresh for longer
• Cook the rice for 20 minutes undisturbed. Then turn the heat off, fluff with a fork, then cover and let stand for another 10 minutes.

• While the rice cooks, quickly fry the almonds and the raisins in a bit of olive oil to toast them.
• Remove the beautifully golden chicken from the oven and you are ready to assemble!
• Start by spooning a bed of yellow rice on a large platter, then garnish with the fried onions, almonds and raisins, then add the chicken legs on top.

Watch me make it!

Smoking the Mandi (optional)

To replicate the smoky coal infused flavours of traditional chicken mandi, lots of people like to smoke the final dish. My husband doesn't like smoked food so I don't do this. But its fairly easy!

Add the chicken to the rice in the same pot once they are both cooked. Place a small bowl on top of the rice and add a bit of oil inside. Take a small piece of coal and light it on fire using a lighter. Then drop the coal in the oil filled bowl, watch the smoke, then quickly close the lid. Smoke for about 4-5 minutes then open the lid and remove the bowl.

Tips for making the best mandi!

Tip #1: Buy whole spices, toast them, and grind them yourself. This will make a huge difference in the flavour of both the chicken and rice. And its easy!

Tip #2: Be patient with the onions while they fry. The onions is what really takes this dish to another level of umami. Just keep an eye on them and plan accordingly.

Tip #3: Don't be scared of using the quantity of oil used in the recipe. Many store bough Mandi uses even more oil than this. The oil will help keep the rice grains soft and luxurious.

What to serve with Mandi:

Traditionally, Mandi and many Yemeni rice based dishes are served with "Zahawig" (sometimes referred to as Zhough) which is a spicy salsa like condiment made from chilis, parsley, coriander, mint, garlic, tomato, vinegar, and cumin. They are blended to create a salsa. You can also serve this rice dish with side salads like Jajik (cucumber yogurt salad), fattoush or tabouli.

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