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Lebanese chicken and rice recipe.
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4.97 from 29 votes

Lebanese Chicken and Rice Recipe

Lebanese Chicken and Rice (Roz a Djej) made with shredded chicken, spiced rice with ground beef, and topped with toasted almonds, pine nuts, and cashews.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Resting Time5 minutes
Total Time1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Author: Yumna Jawad

Ingredients

For the Chicken

For the Nuts Topping

  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ½ cup cashews
  • ½ cup slivered almonds
  • 2 tablespoon pine nuts

For the Rice and Beef

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 2 teaspoons 7 Spice
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt divided
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups long grain rice rinsed
  • Fresh parsley for serving

Instructions

Cook the Chicken & Make the Stock

  • 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.

Notes

My Top Tip: Skim the broth if needed. As the chicken simmers, you may see some foam rise to the top. I usually skim that off with a spoon so the broth stays clear.
Storage: Cool completely and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can reheat it in the microwave or on the stove with a splash of water to prevent the rice from drying out. Make sure to stir occasionally and check that the chicken is heated through before serving.
Freezing: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then reheat.

Nutrition

Calories: 524kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 895mg | Potassium: 621mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 307IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 4mg

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