Xawaash-spiced Chicken and Rice

By Mark Ibrahim

Crisp, bone-in chicken thighs rubbed with a vibrant blend of Somali xawaash, smoky guajillo, and sweet paprika. Served over fragrant Jasmine rice infused with rendered chicken fat, Roma tomatoes, jalapeño, and aromatic cinnamon and bay leaf.

Servings 2-3

Total Time 45 min

Difficulty Easy

A pot of golden spiced rice topped with browned chicken pieces, a cinnamon stick, and bay leaf; the hearty, savory one-pot meal looks warm and inviting.

Ingredients

4 Bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs
1 Onion
1 Roma tomato
2 Garlic cloves
1 Jalapeño
1 Bay leaf
1 Cinnamon stick
1 T Xawaash (see note)
1 T Paprika
1 tsp Guajillo pepper powder
1 cup Jasmine rice (rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes)
¾ cup Chicken broth
¾ cup Water

Dinner Chicken One-Pot / Pan Middle Eastern / Mediterranean Under 1 Hour All Recipes

Directions

Season bone in skin on thighs with salt and put rub on bottom and under skin (keep skin dry).
Brown chicken skin side down in olive oil in a 4qt sauce pan or similar. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
Remove chicken and add minced garlic. Cook until slightly browned, then added diced onion, jalapeño, and diced tomato. Add extra rub (about 2 tsp).
Cooked until soft then added drained rice and mixed well to coat rice. Add liquid, one bay leaf, and one cinnamon stick and bring to a simmer.
Add chicken and cover on low heat and cook for 15 minutes.

Notes

Searing (Browning the Chicken): Browning the chicken thighs skin-side down serves two critical purposes. First, it triggers the Maillard reaction, creating a deeply savory, complex crust. Second, it renders the chicken fat into the pan. This fat acts as the flavorful cooking medium for the rest of the dish.

Sautéing & Sweating (The Aromatics): Sautéing the garlic, onions, jalapeños, and tomatoes in the rendered chicken fat extracts their essential oils and sweetness. Adding the extra 2 teaspoons of the rub directly to the hot oil is a technique called blooming spices. The heat dissolves the fat-soluble flavor compounds in the xawaash, paprika, and guajillo, making them far more potent.

Toasting the Rice (Pilaf Method): Stirring the drained jasmine rice into the onion-tomato mixture before adding liquid coats each grain in oil and spices. This toasts the starches on the outside of the rice, which prevents the grains from bursting and clumping together, ensuring a fluffy, distinct texture.

Pan-Braising (The Final Simmer): Placing the chicken back into the pan, covering it, and dropping the heat to low creates a combination cooking environment. The bottom of the chicken braises in the seasoned liquid, keeping the meat incredibly tender, while the trapped steam cooks the rice perfectly.

* Xawaash Spice Blend: Combine 8 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons ground coriander, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom to a small nonstick pan. Toast over low heat, stirring continuously, for 1 minute or until the spice mix becomes fragrant, then stir in 1 teaspoon ground turmeric. (This makes 4 tablespoons xawaash.)