Skip to content

Meat, Maghreb and Middle East

Chicken and eggplant maqluba

Maqluba is a Middle Eastern dish where spiced rice, chicken and golden vegetables cook in layers in one pot, then get flipped upside down onto a platter. For 4 people, it takes about 1 hour 30 minutes, medium difficulty, around €3 per person. Success depends on letting it rest before unmolding and keeping the layers undisturbed during cooking.

Tonight, a maqluba, a big upside down dish where spiced rice, chicken, golden eggplant and cauliflower cook in layers before being flipped onto the table.

Chicken and eggplant maqluba
Total time
1 h 30
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€3.00
Calories per person
680 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Maqluba builds itself in tight layers, tomatoes at the bottom, then golden chicken, eggplant and cauliflower, topped with rice that soaks up every bit of flavor as it cooks. Once flipped, it reveals colorful layers and fragrant rice that has absorbed the taste of the chicken and the softened vegetables. A side of plain yogurt adds the cool contrast that balances out the spices.

This is a dish for when you have a little time on your hands, a Sunday or a dinner with guests, since the flip itself becomes a moment everyone shares at the table. Kids generally love the soft rice and the chicken, and you can ease up on the spices to suit their taste. Mon Chou suggests it as a way to break from the usual weeknight rotation while keeping the cooking straightforward.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Chicken thighs 6

Pantry

  • Long grain riceoften in the pantry 350 g
  • 7 spice blendoften in the pantry 2 tsp
  • Turmericoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Oiloften in the pantry 8 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Eggplants 2
  • Cauliflower 1
  • Tomatoes 2
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 3 cloves

Dairy

  • Plain yogurt 250 g

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the eggplants into rounds and the cauliflower into florets, brown them in a pan with oil. 15 min

    Salt the eggplants ahead of time so they soak up less oil.

  2. Brown the chicken thighs with the onion and garlic, season with the spices, salt and pepper. 12 min

    The thighs should brown on both sides.

  3. Line the bottom of a large pot with tomato rounds, then arrange the chicken, eggplant and cauliflower on top.

    A layer of tomatoes at the bottom makes unmolding easier and adds juice.

  4. Pour in the rinsed rice mixed with the spices, cover with hot water to the level of the rice, and cook on low heat with the lid on. 35 min

    Don't stir, the layers need to stay intact.

  5. Let it rest, flip the whole thing onto a large platter and serve with the yogurt. 10 min

    Tap the bottom of the pot to loosen the dish before flipping.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a wide, shallow pot rather than a tall one, it makes unmolding cleaner and keeps the layers visible.
  • Rinse the rice well before adding it so it sheds extra starch and stays loose once cooked.
  • Pour the hot water in slowly over the back of a spoon so you don't disturb the vegetable and chicken layers underneath.

The variations

  • Swap the chicken for cubed lamb and extend the cooking time slightly so it turns tender.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the chicken and add cooked chickpeas between the vegetable layers.
  • For kids, cut the vegetables smaller and cut the amount of spices in half.

What to serve it with

  • Chilled plain yogurt
  • Cucumber and tomato salad
  • Mint tea

Storage

Maqluba keeps for 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. It freezes well once cooled, in individual portions. Reheat in a pan or oven with a splash of water so the rice doesn't dry out.

Questions about this dish

Can you make maqluba ahead of time?

You can brown the chicken and vegetables the day before and keep them in the fridge. Cook the rice layers just before serving so the dish unmolds cleanly.

What rice works best for maqluba?

Long grain rice like basmati works well because it stays firm and separates easily after cooking. Avoid short grain rice, which tends to clump together too much.

How do you keep the dish from falling apart when you flip it?

Let the pot rest off the heat for 10 minutes before flipping, the rice settles and holds its shape better. Flip it in one quick, confident motion onto a large platter.

Can you replace the cauliflower?

You can swap it for sliced potatoes browned the same way. Sliced carrots also work well in the layers.

How long does it take to make a chicken and eggplant maqluba?

Count 1 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in a chicken and eggplant maqluba?

About 680 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a chicken and eggplant maqluba cost?

About €3.00 per serving, or €12.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

Maghreb and Middle Eastern cuisine

See all

Recipes with eggplant

See all