Baharat Chicken and Rice Bake¶

A fragrant one-pan Middle Eastern chicken and rice bake with date syrup and baharat spice, finished under the broiler for a golden crust.

Details¶

Ingredient	Imperial	Metric
Chicken breast, cut into small cubes	6 pieces	6 pieces
Shallot, finely chopped	1	1
Campari tomatoes, chopped	4	4
Salt	1 1/2 tsp	9 g
Black pepper	1/2 tsp	1 g
Paprika	1 heaping tsp	3 g
Garlic powder	1 tsp	3 g
Baharat spice	1 heaping tsp	3 g
Extra virgin olive oil	1/3 cup	80 ml
Date syrup	1/4 cup	60 ml
Tomato sauce	1/2 cup	120 ml
Basmati rice, washed and drained	2 cups	400 g
Boiling water	4 cups	960 ml

Ingredient	Imperial	Metric
Maldon flaky salt	1/4 tsp	1 g
Fresh parsley, chopped	to taste	to taste

Preheat the oven to 420°F (220°C).
In an oven-safe pan, place the chicken breast cubes. Add the shallot, tomatoes, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, baharat spice, olive oil, date syrup, and tomato sauce.
Mix it all together. You can marinate it overnight for additional flavor.
Add the rice and mix it in. Pour 4 cups of boiling water over everything. Stir gently with a spoon.
Cover with wet parchment paper and aluminum foil.
Bake in the preheated oven at 420°F (220°C) for 45 minutes. Remove the cover and bake for 10 more minutes.
Switch the oven to convection broil at 450°F (230°C) and broil for 5–7 minutes to get a nice golden crust.
Garnish with a bit of Maldon flaky salt and chopped parsley.

Approximate values per serving (6 servings).

Marinating the chicken overnight with the spices significantly enhances the flavor.
Make sure the water is boiling when you add it to ensure the rice cooks evenly.
Keep an eye on the dish during the broiling step to avoid burning.