Meat, Maghreb and Middle East
Chicken and hashweh rice
Chicken and hashweh rice is a Levantine dish for 4 people, ready in 1 hour 15 minutes, easy to make, for about €3.00 per person. It combines cinnamon spiced rice and ground beef with shredded chicken, toasted almonds and pine nuts. The key to success is cooking the rice in the chicken broth so it soaks up all the flavor.
Tonight, a Levantine style hashweh rice, warm with cinnamon, with ground beef, almonds and toasted pine nuts, topped with shredded chicken.
- Total time
- 1 h 15
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost per person
- €3.00
- Calories per person
- 610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Fall, Winter, Spring
- The kids
- They generally like it
Hashweh rice is that warmly spiced rice, scented with cinnamon and allspice, found across many Levantine kitchens. Here, it's mixed with well crumbled ground beef, then topped with shredded chicken and a buttery mix of toasted almonds and pine nuts. The result is mellow and fragrant, with a crunch that makes a nice change from plain white rice.
This is a dish for a Sunday when you have time to gently poach the chicken, but it's generous enough to feed the family for days. Kids generally love its mild, slightly sweet and savory flavor, with no heat at all. Mon Chou likes to serve it on one big family platter, set in the middle of the table for everyone to help themselves.
The ingredients
Butcher
- Whole chicken 1
- Ground beef 300 g
Pantry
- Long grain riceoften in the pantry 350 g
- Sliced almonds 50 g
- Pine nuts 30 g
- Cinnamonoften in the pantry 2 tsp
- Allspiceoften in the pantry 1 tsp
- Bay leafoften in the pantry 1
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Fruits and vegetables
- Onion 2
Dairy
- Butter 40 g
Allergens Tree nuts, Lactose
The step by step recipe
-
Poach the chicken in water with the onion, bay leaf, salt and pepper until cooked through, then shred it. 50 min
Save the broth, it will cook the rice.
-
Brown the ground beef with the onion, cinnamon, allspice, salt and pepper. 10 min
Break it up well so it stays fine.
-
Add the rinsed rice, toast it for a minute, then cover with hot broth and cook covered. 15 min
Use one and a half times the volume of broth.
-
Toast the almonds and pine nuts in the butter. 3 min
Watch the color closely, they brown fast.
-
Plate the rice, top with the shredded chicken and the toasted nuts.
A little hot broth poured over the chicken keeps it moist.
Our tips to get it right
- Rinse the rice well before cooking so the grains stay separate once done.
- Always save the chicken poaching broth, it replaces water and gives the rice its flavor.
- Shred the chicken and toast the nuts ahead of time, so all that's left to do is cook the rice at the last minute.
The variations
- Swap the whole chicken for chicken thighs, they poach a bit faster.
- For a vegetarian version, replace the chicken and ground beef with red lentils or chickpeas, keeping the same spices and using vegetable broth instead.
- For hungry kids in a hurry, serve just the ground beef rice topped with the toasted nuts, without waiting for the chicken to cook.
What to serve it with
- A cold plain yogurt
- A cucumber and tomato salad
- A glass of mint tea
Storage
This dish keeps for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can freeze the rice and chicken separately from the toasted nuts, which would lose their crunch. Reheat in a skillet or oven with a splash of broth or water so the rice doesn't dry out.
Questions about this dish
Can you make chicken and hashweh rice ahead of time?
Yes, you can poach the chicken and cook the rice with the beef the day before. Keep the toasted almonds and pine nuts separate and add them just before serving so they stay crunchy.
Can you substitute the ground beef?
Ground lamb works beautifully with the cinnamon and allspice. Ground turkey also works well for a milder version.
What's the best rice to use for hashweh?
Long grain rice like basmati gives the best separate, fluffy grains. Rinse it well before cooking to remove excess starch.
Can you replace the pine nuts?
If you don't have pine nuts, extra sliced almonds or chopped cashews work well. Just make sure to toast them in butter to keep that signature crunch.
How long does it take to make a chicken and hashweh rice?
Count 1 h 15 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.
How many calories are in a chicken and hashweh rice?
About 610 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 hashweh rice 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 tree nuts, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
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