Bariis Iskukaris — Somali One‑Pot Spiced Chicken and Rice
A fragrant, one‑pot Somali rice stew: chicken browned with warm whole spices, then cooked together with basmati rice and vegetables until tender. Minimal washing up and reliably satisfying.
1 hr
start to finish
15 min
hands on
Some skill
difficulty
4
servings
Ingredients
Roughly, per serving
720 kcal45g protein80g carbs22g fat
An estimate, not a lab analysis.
Method
Pat the chicken thighs dry and season both sides with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the black pepper.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (4.5–6 quart) over medium-high heat until shimmering.
Add the chicken thighs skin-side down and brown until deep golden, about 4–5 minutes per side.
Remove the browned chicken to a plate and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium and add the sliced onions to the same pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to brown.
Add the garlic and grated ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in the tomato paste and chopped tomato and cook 2 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the pot.
Add the whole spices (cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaf) and the ground spices (cumin, coriander, turmeric) and toast with the onion mixture for 30–60 seconds.
Stir in the rinsed, drained rice so the grains are coated in the spiced onion mixture; cook while stirring 1–2 minutes.
Pour in the chicken stock, add the diced carrot, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and optional chili flakes; stir once to combine.
Nestle the browned chicken pieces into the rice and stock, skin-side up if applicable, tucking them slightly into the rice so the meat cooks through evenly.
Bring the pot to a gentle simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low and cook until the rice is tender and the chicken is cooked through, about 18–22 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the pot sit, covered, undisturbed to steam for 10 minutes.
Remove the cinnamon stick, bay leaf, and any whole cardamom shells you can find; stir in the frozen peas and lemon juice, then fluff the rice gently with a fork and adjust seasoning to taste.
Sprinkle chopped cilantro or parsley over the top and serve directly from the pot.
Worth knowing
- If you prefer boneless chicken, use 1.0 lb (450 g) boneless thighs; reduce simmer time by 5–7 minutes and check for doneness.
- Rinsing the rice removes excess surface starch and helps keep the grains separate after cooking.
- If you don't have chicken stock, use water with 1–2 teaspoons of good-quality bouillon.
- Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3 days and reheat in a covered pan with a splash of water to prevent drying.
Make it yours
Cooking without dairy, without an oven, for someone who won't touch chilli, or for six instead of four? Have the recipe rewritten around it — quantities, steps and all.
Gluten-freeDairy-freeHalalOne panMeal prep
More Somali cooking
An original Restaurant Pro recipe — our own composition in the idiom of Somali cooking, not any restaurant's recipe. Written to be gluten-free and dairy-free and halal as listed.