Place the chicken thighs, onion, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, salt and pepper in a large stockpot on high heat. Add water and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium and continue cooking until the chicken is cooked through, about 25 minutes.
Remove the cooked chicken and use two forks to shred into bite-sized pieces. Strain the chicken stock and discard the aromatics. Reserve 3 cups of the stock to use to cook the rice and store the remaining stock for another use.
Cook the Nuts Topping
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the cashews, almonds and pine nuts and toast, stirring frequently, until they’re golden-brown and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Cook the Rice and Beef and Serve
In the same pot used to cook the nuts, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and ground beef and season with the 7 Spice and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook until the onions are soft and the ground beef is browned, 8-10 minutes.
Add the rice, remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and stir to combine. Pour the reserved chicken broth on top. Mix all the ingredients together, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 5 more minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork.
Transfer the rice and beef mixture to a large serving platter, add the shredded chicken on top and scatter the cooked nuts over the top. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and serve immediately.