Arabic Saleeg
Feast your taste buds on this delicious Arabic Saleeg recipe! It’s a comforting and flavorful dish that combines tender, broiled chicken legs with creamy, spiced rice.
It’s the perfect meal to impress your guests or for a unique family dinner. The rice is cooked in a fragrant chicken broth, and the dish is finished off with a beautifully broiled chicken leg. Each bite is a delightful mix of textures and flavors – a surefire hit for anyone who loves comfort food!
Ingredients Notes
The magic behind a delicious Arabic Saleeg lies in the harmony of its ingredients.
For the Rice:
- Basmati Rice & Jasmine Rice: In this recipe, we’re using a blend of Basmati and Jasmine rice. However, you usually find versions of this dish using Egyptian rice or long-grain rice. This versatile dish adapts well to different types of rice, so feel free to use what you have on hand or prefer.
- Milk: This is used to make the rice creamier, and while any type of milk could work, full-fat milk is recommended to achieve the traditional, hearty texture of this dish.
- Salted Butter: This will give the rice a rich flavor. If you’re using unsalted butter, remember to add a pinch of salt.
- Spices: The spices, including cardamom, cloves, black peppercorns, and bay leaves are key for a flavorful Saleeg.
For the Chicken:
- Chicken Legs: While many traditional recipes use a whole chicken I used chicken legs. Chicken legs are excellent as they have a high-fat content reducing the likelihood of them being dry after being twice cooked.
- Paprika: This adds a lovely undertone and color to the chicken.
- Ghee or Oil: This is used to aid in the cooking process and to add moisture and flavor to the chicken.
Step by Step Instructions
1) Combine basmati and jasmine rice in a large bowl. Rinse under running water 2-3 times.
2) In a separate bowl, combine 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp paprika, and 1 tbsp oil. Set aside.
3) Place chicken legs in a large pot and cover with boiling water. Cook for 10 minutes. Using a strainer, remove any residues that float to the top. Then, add cardamom pods, cloves, black peppercorns, bay leaves, and 1 tsp salt to the pot. Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
4) Remove chicken legs and spices from the broth. Add the washed rice to the broth. Cook covered for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5) Stir in 1 cup of milk and the butter. Continue cooking until the rice is soft. Add in the black pepper, onion powder, MSG, and salt. Adjust seasoning to taste. If needed, add more milk to achieve a creamy texture.
6) Preheat your broiler on high heat. Arrange the chicken legs on an oven-proof tray and brush them with the prepared paprika oil. Broil for 10 minutes, basting halfway through, until the chicken skin is crispy. Collect the reserved chicken fat from the baking tray.
7) To serve, drizzle this flavorful fat over the creamy rice and crispy chicken legs, adding an extra layer of savory richness to your Arabic Saleeg.
Storage and Leftovers
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When reheating, use a microwave and cover the dish. If the rice seems too dry, mix in a little bit of milk before reheating to restore its creaminess.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can definitely make this dish with skinless chicken legs or even boneless chicken. However, chicken with the skin and bone will add more flavor to the broth.
While this recipe uses chicken legs for their juicy, flavorful meat, you could substitute them with chicken breasts, thighs, or a whole chicken. You will need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Yes, you can replace cow’s milk with plant-based alternatives such as soy milk. The flavor profile will be slightly different, but still delicious.
While it’s possible to freeze Saleeg, the texture of the rice may change when reheated. It’s best enjoyed fresh or stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
More Recipes You May Like:
- Butter Chicken Wings
- Chicken in Oyster Sauce
- Orange Chicken
- Thai Chicken Curry
- Turmeric Chicken & Rice
Arabic Saleeg
Ingredients
For the rice
- 1 cup basmati rice
- ½ cup jasmine rice
- 2 cups milk
- 2 oz salted butter
- 3 cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 3-4 small bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp onion powder or a whole onion, boiled with the chicken
- ½ tsp msg
- ½ tsp black pepper powder
For the chicken
- 4 chicken legs with skin and bone
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp oil or ghee
Instructions
- Combine basmati and jasmine rice in a large bowl. Rinse under running water 2-3 times.
- In a separate bowl, combine 1 tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, ½ tsp paprika, and 1 tbsp oil. Set aside.
- Place chicken legs in a large pot and cover with boiling water. Cook for 10 minutes. Using a strainer, remove any residues that float to the top. Then, add cardamom pods, cloves, black peppercorns, bay leaves, and 1 tsp salt to the pot. Cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
- Remove chicken legs and spices from the broth. Add the washed rice to the broth. Cook covered for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in 1 cup of milk and the butter. Continue cooking until the rice is soft. Add in the black pepper, onion powder, MSG, and salt. Adjust seasoning to taste. If needed, add more milk to achieve a creamy texture.
- Preheat your broiler on high heat. Arrange the chicken legs on an oven-proof tray and brush them with the prepared paprika oil. Broil for 10 minutes, basting halfway through, until the chicken skin is crispy. Collect the reserved chicken fat from the baking tray.
- To serve, drizzle this flavorful fat over the creamy rice and crispy chicken legs, adding an extra layer of savory richness to your Arabic Saleeg.
