Experience the Magic of Maqluba: A Flavorful Middle Eastern Dish with Layers of Rice, Chicken (or Lamb), and Vibrant Vegetables. Learn How to Create This Beautiful One-Pot Wonder With Our Step-by-Step Recipe!

Ingredients:

- 2 cups long-grain rice (Basmati or Jasmine rice works well)

- 1 pound bone-in chicken thighs or lamb pieces (you can use a combination if you prefer)

- 2 large onions, thinly sliced

- 2 large tomatoes, sliced

- 2 medium eggplants, sliced into rounds

- 2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced into rounds

- 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips

- 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced into strips

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 teaspoons ground cumin

- 2 teaspoons ground coriander

- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric

- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- Salt and black pepper to taste

- Cooking oil for frying

- 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

- Chopped fresh parsley and toasted pine nuts for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. Start by preparing the eggplants: Sprinkle the eggplant slices with salt and let them sit for about 15-20 minutes to draw out excess moisture. Afterward, rinse them and pat them dry with paper towels.

2. In a large, deep pot, heat some cooking oil over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant slices until they are lightly browned. Remove and drain them on paper towels.

3. In the same pot, add a bit more oil if needed and fry the potato slices until they are golden brown. Remove and drain.

4. In the same pot, add the chicken or lamb pieces and brown them on all sides. Remove and set aside.

5. Add the sliced onions to the pot and sauté until they become translucent and start to brown.

6. Layer the vegetables in the pot in the following order: start with the fried potatoes, then add the fried eggplants, followed by the red and yellow bell peppers. Place the chicken or lamb pieces on top.

7. Sprinkle minced garlic, ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric, ground cinnamon, salt, and black pepper evenly over the layers.

8. Pour the rice over the layered ingredients in the pot and spread it out evenly.

9. Arrange the sliced tomatoes on top of the rice.

10. Pour the chicken or vegetable broth over everything. The liquid should cover the rice by about half an inch.

11. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for about 30-40 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and the liquid is absorbed.

12. Once done, remove the pot from heat and let it sit for 10 minutes. This will allow the flavors to meld.

13. To serve, carefully invert the pot onto a large serving platter. The rice should come out in a beautiful layered presentation with the meat and vegetables on top.

14. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley and toasted pine nuts if desired.

Enjoy your homemade Maqluba!

Nutrition Value

. These values are per 100 grams for each ingredient:

1. Long-Grain Rice (Cooked):

  - Calories: 130

  - Carbohydrates: 28.2g

  - Protein: 2.7g

  - Fat: 0.3g

  - Sodium: 1mg

2. Bone-In Chicken Thighs (Cooked):

  - Calories: 209 (skinless, boneless)

  - Carbohydrates: 0g

  - Protein: 27.3g

  - Fat: 10.9g

  - Sodium: 74mg

3. Lamb (Cooked):

  - Calories: 250

  - Carbohydrates: 0g

  - Protein: 25.7g

  - Fat: 16.8g

  - Sodium: 64mg

4. Onions:

  - Calories: 40

  - Carbohydrates: 9.3g

  - Protein: 1.1g

  - Fat: 0.1g

  - Sodium: 4mg

5. Tomatoes:

  - Calories: 18

  - Carbohydrates: 3.9g

  - Protein: 0.9g

  - Fat: 0.2g

  - Sodium: 5mg

6. Eggplants (Cooked):

  - Calories: 25

  - Carbohydrates: 6g

  - Protein: 1g

  - Fat: 0.2g

  - Sodium: 2mg

7. Potatoes (Cooked):

  - Calories: 77

  - Carbohydrates: 17.5g

  - Protein: 1.8g

  - Fat: 0.1g

  - Sodium: 6mg

8. Red Bell Pepper:

  - Calories: 31

  - Carbohydrates: 6g

  - Protein: 1g

  - Fat: 0.3g

  - Sodium: 2mg

9. Yellow Bell Pepper:

  - Calories: 27

  - Carbohydrates: 6g

  - Protein: 1g

  - Fat: 0.3g

  - Sodium: 1mg

10. Garlic:

  - Calories: 149

  - Carbohydrates: 33.1g

  - Protein: 6.4g

  - Fat: 0.5g

  - Sodium: 17mg

11. Ground Cumin:

  - Calories: 375

  - Carbohydrates: 44.24g

  - Protein: 17.81g

  - Fat: 22.27g

  - Sodium: 168mg

12. Ground Coriander:

  - Calories: 298

  - Carbohydrates: 71.3g

  - Protein: 12.37g

  - Fat: 17.77g

  - Sodium: 35mg

13. Ground Turmeric:

  - Calories: 312

  - Carbohydrates: 67.14g

  - Protein: 9.68g

  - Fat: 3.25g

  - Sodium: 38mg

14. Ground Cinnamon:

  - Calories: 247

  - Carbohydrates: 80.59g

  - Protein: 3.99g

  - Fat: 1.24g

  - Sodium: 10mg

15. Cooking Oil (Generic):

  - Calories: 884

  - Carbohydrates: 0g

  - Protein: 0g

  - Fat: 100g

  - Sodium: 0mg

16. Chicken Broth (Canned):

  - Calories: 7

  - Carbohydrates: 1.1g

  - Protein: 0.6g

  - Fat: 0.2g

  - Sodium: 344mg