Simply Lebanese

Lebanese Rice with Chicken

Lebanese Rice with Chicken
  • Prep Time
    15 mins
  • Cook Time
    90 mins
  • Serving
    4
  • Ready In
    95 mins
Served at every occasion and gathering, this Lebanese chicken and rice dish is a classic. Spiced ground beef and rice are served with toasted nuts and shredded juicy chicken.
Lebanese Rice with Chicken

This delicious Lebanese rice with chicken dish known as roz a djej in Arabic, is served at every large family gathering, party, and holiday dinner (Even Thanksgiving!). The warm spices with ground beef and rice make it the perfect rice dish to be served alongside rotisserie chickens, a large turkey, roast beef or any other main protein.

You will find some people refer to this Lebanese rice with chicken dish as “Hashweh” which literally translates to “stuffing.” This is because, this rice is often stuffed into a chicken (or turkey on Thanksgiving or Christmas). It truly is a staple of Middle-Eastern cuisine. My very first Ramadan Series cannot be completed without this rice recipe.

Lebanese Rice and Chicken

Chicken

This Lebanese rice with chicken dish is very versatile when it comes to the chicken part. Typically, a whole chicken is boiled for the broth. Legs, thighs, and wings are a lot fattier than chicken breast alone, making the homemade stock much more flavorful. However, feel free to boil about 2-3 pounds of chicken breasts or thighs in place of the whole chicken.

If you are making this rice as a side dish, skip the chicken steps all together and use whatever chicken broth you have on hand (packaged, homemade, or 2 bouillon cubes and water). Sometimes I will shred the chicken into large chunks and serve on top of the rice. Another way to serve, is to serve the chicken on the side in a separate dish.

What kind of rice is used in Roz a djej

As for the rice, basmati rice works wonderfully in this recipe, as would any other long grain rice. I happened to use Uncle Bens parboiled rice this time, just because I love the texture of it. The ratio of rice to broth is about 1.5 cups of broth for every 1 cup of rice. However, I do feel like basmati rice may need a little bit more at times. You can easily double or even triple the servings for larger gatherings.

Roz a djej is topped with delicious fried nuts. You can use whatever nuts you have on hand including raw cashews, slivered or sliced almonds, and pine nuts. If you’d like to go a healthier route, you can dry roast the nuts in a dry skillet or in the oven for a few minutes until golden brown.

Serve this rice dish as a main dish with a side salad such as fattoush, or laban wa khyar. Both are the perfect compliment to the rice.

Lebanese Rice and Chicken

STEP 1

Begin by preparing your chicken. Remove the neck and giblets and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. In a large stockpot, place the whole chicken and pour enough water to cover it completely. Season with salt and pepper.
Lebanese Rice with Chicken

STEP 2

When the chicken comes to a boil, skim any fat that rises to the top.

Peel and cut the small onion in half and place in the pot along with the bay leaves and cloves.

Cover halfway and let simmer on medium-high heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour.

STEP 3

Remove the cooked chicken and set aside to cool. Once it has cooled enough to handle, shred the breasts into course chunks.

STEP 4

Place the cooked chicken legs and wings on a baking pan and broil until golden brown and crispy on top. (This step is optional, you can shred these parts of the chicken with the breast if you prefer.)

STEP 5

Add the vegetable oil to a pan and heat for 1-2 minutes on medium-high.
Add the almonds and cook for 2-3 minutes, constantly mixing until golden brown.
Repeat with remaining nuts and set aside.

STEP 6

Rinse the rice 3 times or until the water runs clear. Drain the water and set aside.

STEP 7

In a medium pot, add the ground beef and cook on medium heat until fully browned.

Add the butter, salt, pepper, 7 spices and ground cinnamon and sauté for a few minutes.

STEP 8

Add the washed rice in with the ground beef mixture and mix well. Measure 2 ¼ cups of the fresh chicken stock you made earlier, and pour into the pot of rice.
Cook on medium-high heat until the rice comes to a boil then, lower the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid.

Cook for 15 minutes until all the stock is absorbed.

STEP 9

Empty the rice into a large serving platter. Sprinkle the nuts on top and shredded chicken. Serve with a side salad like fattoush or plain yogurt.

Lebanese Rice with Chicken
Lebanese Rice with Chicken

Lebanese Rice with Chicken

Served at every occasion and gathering, this Lebanese chicken and rice dish is a classic. Spiced ground beef and rice are served with toasted nuts and shredded juicy chicken.
4.62 from 50 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Lebanese
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 4
Calories: 840kcal
Author: Iman

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Ground Beef
  • cup White Rice
  • 3 tb. Butter
  • 2 tsp. Seven Spices
  • ½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. Salt
  • ½ tsp. Black Pepper
  • ¼ cup Slivered Almonds or almond halves
  • ¼ cup Halved Cashews
  • 3 tb. Pine Nuts
  • 2 tb. Vegetable Oil

Boiled Chicken

  • 1 Whole Chicken or chicken breasts/thighs
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • ½ Small Onion
  • 2 tsp. Salt
  • 1 tsp. Whole Cloves

Instructions

  • Begin by preparing your chicken. Remove the neck and giblets and pat the chicken dry with paper towels. In a large stockpot, place the whole chicken and pour enough water to cover it completely. Season with salt and pepper. 
  • When the chicken comes to a boil, skim any fat that rises to the top. Peel and cut the small onion in half and place in the pot along with the bay leaves and cloves. Cover halfway and let simmer on medium-high heat until the chicken is cooked through, about 1 hour. 
  • Remove the cooked chicken and set aside to cool. Once it has cooled enough to handle, shred the breasts into course chunks. 
  • Place the cooked chicken legs and wings on a baking pan and broil until golden brown and crispy on top. (This step is optional, you can shred these parts of the chicken with the breast if you prefer.)
  • Add the vegetable oil to a pan and heat for 1-2 minutes on medium-high. Add the almonds and cook for 2-3 minutes, constantly mixing until golden brown. Repeat with remaining nuts and set aside. 
  • Rinse the rice 3 times or until the water runs clear. Drain the water and set aside. 
  • In a medium pot, add the ground beef and cook on medium heat until fully browned. Add the butter, salt, pepper, 7 spices and ground cinnamon and sauté for a few minutes. 
  • Add the washed rice in with the ground beef mixture and mix well. Measure 2 ¼ cups of the fresh chicken stock you made earlier, and pour into the pot of rice. Cook on medium-high heat until the rice comes to a boil then, lower the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Cook for 15 minutes until all the stock is absorbed. 
  • Empty the rice into a large serving platter. Sprinkle the nuts on top and shredded chicken. Serve with a side salad like fattoush or plain yogurt. 

Nutrition

Calories: 840kcal | Carbohydrates: 68.1g | Protein: 48.1g | Fat: 40.8g | Saturated Fat: 12.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3.8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7.3g | Cholesterol: 126.9mg | Sodium: 208.4mg | Potassium: 543.3mg | Fiber: 3.5g | Sugar: 4.2g | Vitamin A: 6270IU | Vitamin C: 7.2mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 8mg
    Iman

    Owner

    Additional Recipes!

    Recipe Reviews

    • Avatar

      Suzanne

      5 stars
      Used this recipe for Christmas Eve for my family gathering (15+). Everyone loved it. Said it was the best version of this dish. Most had 2-3 servings! Thanks for sharing ❤️

      • Iman

        Iman

        Wow that is so wonderful to hear!! Thank you!

    • Avatar

      Dawn

      Hi Iman, what do you use if you do not have a Bayleaf? Thank you.

      • Iman

        Iman

        Just omit! Some people boil chicken with literally just salt and pepper, and an onion and no aromatics.

    • Avatar

      Patty

      5 stars
      Excellent Lebanese dish!

    • Avatar

      Gloria

      Hi. Are the nuts roasted and salted? Raw?

      • Iman

        Iman

        They are raw which is why I sauté them! You can also dry roast or bake them.

    • Avatar

      Amy

      Do you use ghee or cooking butter from fridge?

      • Iman

        Iman

        You can use either one, whichever you prefer!

    • Avatar

      Amy

      Hi,
      With your chicken and rice, do you use ghee or just cooking butter from dairy fridge?

      • Iman

        Iman

        I use both, whichever I have on hand at the time!

    • Avatar

      Hailee

      If we do not have the 7 spices, what are they!!

    • Avatar

      Linda

      4 stars
      This dish was always loved by our family, I remember mum used
      Lots and lots of cinnamon which gave it a lovely aroma.
      Loved it.
      Linda x

      • Iman

        Iman

        It gives it wonderful flavor!

    • Avatar

      Toufic

      5 stars
      This is my go to recipe. Thank you. Love it.

      • Iman

        Iman

        So glad, thank you!

    • Avatar

      Cris

      5 stars
      This was so delicious!! Thank you for sharing!

      • Iman

        Iman

        Awesome, thank you for trying it!

    Leave a Review

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating