Degchi
Chicken Mandi
Serves 4 · Total 80 min · Prep 20 min · Cook 60 min
A Yemeni-Hadhrami rice dish adopted all over the Gulf: chicken rubbed with mandi spice and roasted until the skin is deep golden, served over basmati cooked in the same aromatic broth. The home version uses the oven instead of a underground pit, but keeps the same smoky, spiced flavour.
Quick answer: 80 min in total · serves 4 · main ingredients: Chicken, Rice, Onion, Garlic · amounts in metric and US
Ingredients
- 1200 g 2.6 lb Chicken, whole or quartered
- 400 g 2 cup Rice
- 2 pc 2 pc Onion
- 4 clove 4 clove Garlic
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Ginger
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp Mixed Arabic spice blend, mandi spice mix
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp Clarified butter
- to taste to taste Salt
- 1 pinch 1 pinch Saffron (Optional)
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp Dry fruits (Optional)
Steps
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- Wash the basmati rice and soak it in water for 20 minutes.⏱ Soaking · 20 min
- Cut the chicken into 8 pieces. Rub with half the mandi spice, the garlic, ginger and a little salt, and marinate for at least 20 minutes.⏱ Marinating · 20 min
- Heat ghee in a large pot and fry the sliced onion until golden.⏱ Frying onion · 6 min
- Add the remaining spices, salt and 700 ml (3 cups) of water; bring to a boil to make the broth.⏱ Making broth · 5 min
- Drain the soaked rice and stir it into the boiling broth for 2 to 3 minutes, then add a pinch of saffron.⏱ Bringing to a boil · 3 min
- Pour the rice and broth into a deep baking tray (about 3 cups liquid to 2 cups rice). Set the chicken on a rack above the rice, cover the whole tray tightly with foil and roast at 200°C (400°F) for about 40 minutes, until the chicken is golden and the rice is tender.⏱ Roasting together · 40 min
- Optional smoke: set a small heatproof bowl on the rice, add a piece of hot charcoal, drizzle a little oil on it, cover the tray at once and leave 3 to 5 minutes.⏱ Smoking · 4 min
- Fluff the rice gently with a fork, plate it with the meat on top and scatter the fried raisins and nuts on top.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does Chicken Mandi take?
80 minutes in total: about 20 minutes of prep and 60 minutes of cooking.
Is Chicken Mandi hard to make?
Degchi rates it medium. The method has 8 steps, and 7 of them have a timer you can start on this page.
How many people does Chicken Mandi serve?
This recipe serves 4. Use the toggle above the ingredient list to see the amounts in metric or US measures. For more or fewer portions, scale every amount in the same proportion, or use the servings control in the Degchi app.
Is Chicken Mandi halal, vegetarian or eggless?
It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is not vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.
What will I probably need to buy for Chicken Mandi?
Everyday staples that Degchi counts as pantry basics: mixed Arabic spice blend, salt. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: chicken, onion, garlic, ginger, clarified butter. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: rice.
Any tips for making Chicken Mandi?
Rice rule: 2 cups (400 g) basmati to 3 cups (700 ml) liquid, about 1 : 1.5. Keep the tray covered and do not stir after it goes in the oven. For a deeper brown skin, brush the chicken with a little tomato paste, yoghurt, turmeric and pepper before roasting. The smoking step is what gives mandi its restaurant flavour, but it is optional.
Notes and questions
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Cooking terms in this recipe: Basmati rice
