Palestinian Maqluba (Upside-Down Rice and Chicken)

Upside down rice and vegetable dish on a platter.

5 from 13 votes

Palestinian Maqluba (Upside-Down Rice and Chicken)

Maqluba or makloubeh is a Middle Eastern upside down chicken and rice dish that's served in various permutations across the Levant. It's often referred to as the national dish of Palestine and it's something I grew up eating. With 7-spice, cinnamon, cardamom, and bay leaves, it's highly aromatic and makes a great dinner-in-one meal.

Prep Time1

Cook Time45

Total Time1 45

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Levantine, Middle Eastern

Servings: people

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $25

Equipment

Large pot with tight lid Preferably non-stick

Ingredients

3 cups Basmati rice
Kosher salt
2 cups Cauliflower florets - About half a cauliflower
1 Eggplant - sliced into 1/2" (1cm) rings
2 Potatoes - peeled, sliced into 1/2" (1cm) rings
5 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil - Divided
3 tsp 7-Spice (Baharat) - Divided (See note)
Fresh cracked black pepper
1 ½ lbs Chicken thighs - Skinless, boneless
1 Onion - Diced
4 Garlic cloves - Minced
2 Tomatoes - sliced into 1/2" (1cm) rings
4 cups Chicken broth - Boxes or canned work fine. You can also dilute a bouillon cube in water. Might need more, see note
2 Bay leaves
2 Cinnamon sticks
4-6 Cardamom pods
Chopped parsley and roasted almonds for garnish

Instructions

Soak the rice. Rinse the rice under cold water in a sieve until the water runs clear. Transfer the rice to a bowl, season with 2 teaspoons of salt and cover with water (cover with at least an inch of water). Set aside to soak for at least 30 minutes, but preferably 2 hours.
Bake the vegetables. Preheat your oven to 400F. On a rimmed baking sheet, place cauliflower florets, eggplant slices and potato slices. Brush with extra virgin olive oil and season with 1 teaspoon 7-spice, salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes. The vegetables don't have to be cooked all the way through but should have some browning.
Prepare the chicken. Season chicken thighs with salt, pepper and 1 tsp 7-Spice. In a large frying pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Fry the chicken on medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes, on each side. You're looking for some color to form on the chicken. Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate.
Fry aromatics. To the same pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil (if needed) and fry the onions and garlic with a pinch of salt on medium heat, for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
Layer. Drain the rice and mix in 1 teaspoon of 7-spice. To a large non-stick pot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Begin layering with sliced tomatoes, followed by a handful of seasoned rice and then a single layer of vegetables (onions, garlic, potatoes, cauliflower, eggplant). Scatter a handful or two of rice. Layer the chicken thighs, more vegetables and more rice, alternating as you layer. It doesn't have to be perfect, but make sure you finish with a nice layer of rice.
Pack down. Pack everything down lightly with your hands and using a chopstick of a wooden spoon handle, poke 4 or 5 holes into the rice so that the liquid can penetrate.
Add the liquid and cook. Carefully add 4 cups chicken stock to the pot. The liquid should just cover the rice. Add bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods and an additional teaspoon of salt. Some of the chicken or vegetables may float. That's ok. Cover the pot, bring to a boil, and turn down the heat to medium-low. Cook for 30-40 minutes. If your pot lid doesn't hold steam in, you can use a sheet of aluminum foil to help seal the lid.
Rest and serve. Take a peek under the lid. The rice should be cooked. return the lid and let the maqluba rest for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and pull out the bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods. They should be at the top. Place a large inverted rimmed platter over the pot. Confidently flip the pot and plate over. Do this as quickly and safely as you can, like you're flipping a cake. Carefully pull the pot up revealing the maqluba. It might not be pretty, but it will be delicious. Garnish with fresh parsley and toasted almonds. Serve with salad and yogurt.

Notes

See the recipe post above for step-by-step photos. It'll really help you visualize the steps.

7-Spice blend is a Levantine and Middle Eastern cooking staple. You can make your own 7-Spice blend or buy it from a grocery store or online.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

Basmati rice: while basmati is best (long grain, not short) parboiled rice works too.
Vegetables: mix and match the vegetables to best suit your needs. Summer squash and bell peppers are great too.
Chicken: breast meat or bone-in chicken can also be used. This can be made with lamb or beef cubes, but they require pre-boiling to tenderize. If going this route, the boiling liquid can replace the chicken stock.
Almonds: omit altogether if preferred, or use something like cashews or toasted pine nuts.

A note on the liquid. As you pour the liquid into the pot, some of the vegetables and meat may begin to float. You want to be careful not to add too much liquid or your finished dish will be mushy. If you need more than the 4 cups of liquid, add only enough to cover everything.

Nutrition