A Palestinian chicken dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 6
Active time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min

Organic sourcing

Eggplant and potatoes are part of the Dirty Dozen; sourcing them organic reduces pesticide exposure. Cauliflower is less critical, but organic is still a good choice.

Ingredients

• 1 kg bone-in chicken pieces
• 1 tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tbsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• to taste sea salt
• to taste black pepper
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 1 large eggplant
• 1 small head cauliflower
• 3 medium potatoes
• 1 large onion
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 cups chicken stock (ideally homemade)
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Method

1. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear and soak it for 30 minutes. Drain well before using.
2. Season the chicken with cumin, allspice, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Set aside.
3. Slice the eggplant into rounds, break the cauliflower into florets, and slice the potatoes and onion into rings.
4. Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides, then remove and set aside.
5. In the same pot, add the remaining olive oil and sauté the onion until translucent. Remove from the pot.
6. Lightly fry the eggplant, cauliflower, and potatoes separately until golden, then set aside.
7. Layer the chicken, potatoes, cauliflower, and eggplant in the pot. Spread the drained rice over the top.
8. Pour the chicken stock over the rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 1 hour until the liquid is absorbed.
9. Let the pot rest for 10 minutes before flipping it upside down onto a platter. Serve garnished with pine nuts and parsley.

Notes

• You can substitute chicken with lamb or omit for a vegetarian version.
• Use a non-stick pot to prevent sticking when flipping.
• Serve with a side of plain yogurt for contrast.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Palestinian recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.