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jordanian ouzi rice with roast chicken recipe

Jordanian Ouzi Rice with Chicken Recipe (أوزي الدجاج الأردني)

Arabic Ouzi Rice with Roasted chicken (أوزي الدجاج الأردني) is an incredibly flavorful Arabic recipe that you don't want to miss! Ouzi chicken is a great recipe to make during the month of Ramadan as it is super delicious, healthy, and filling! My Jordanian Chicken Ouzi is made with a ground beef spicy brown rice and topped with an overnight Middle Eastern marinated and roasted chicken.
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Marinating time 12 hours
Total Time 12 hours 15 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Arabic, Jordanian, Middle Eastern
Servings 6 people
Calories 643 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

For the Middle Eastern Roasted Chicken Marinade:

  • 1 whole chicken, cut into 4 pieces
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 5 cloves fresh garlic
  • 1 tablespoon red pepper paste sub tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoon Arabic 7 spices
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 teaspoon adobo powder
  • 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cajun seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar sub white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice about the juice of 1 whole lemon
  • 1 tablespoon pink sea salt

For the Ouzi rice:

  • 1 pound ground beef seasoned with salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • 3 cups broth, heated
  • 1 whole dried lime
  • 2 whole bay leaves
  • 5 whole cardamom pods, crushed
  • 1 whole cinnamon stick
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon Arabic 7 spices
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon pink sea salt
  • 2 cups brown rice sub wild rice ** see notes
  • 1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables mix of carrot, green bean, green peas, and corn

Ouzi toppings

  • ½ cup pine nuts toasted in ½ tablespoon of oil or ghee

Instructions
 

For the Arabic Chicken Marinade:

  • **Do this the night before you make ouzi.
    Clean your chicken very well. Place the clean chicken pieces into a large bowl.
    1 whole chicken, cut into 4 pieces
  • Next, in a blender add all the ingredients for your Arabic Chicken Marinade.
    Blend till it is completely smooth.
    1 large yellow onion, chopped, 5 cloves fresh garlic, 1 tablespoon red pepper paste, 2 teaspoon Arabic 7 spices, 1 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1 teaspoon adobo powder, 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground turmeric, ½ teaspoon smoked paprika, ½ teaspoon cajun seasoning, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon pink sea salt
  • Pour the marinade over the chicken. Toss so that all the chicken is evenly coated in the marinade.
  • Cover the bowl and place the chicken in the fridge to marinate overnight.

How to cook the Arabic Marinated Chicken

  • The next day, get your chicken started in the oven a couple of hours before you make the ouzi rice.
    Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Place chicken inside a dutch oven. Bake it uncovered for 20 minutes.
  • Put the Dutch oven lid on and lower the heat to 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for an additional 2 ½ hours.
  • Flip the chicken pieces once after 1 ½ hours of cooking so that the other side of the chicken are submerged in the marinade.
  • Broil for 2-3 minutes at the very end if you want a crispy chicken top.

How to cook the Jordanian Ouzi Rice

  • Sprinkle the ground beef (or ground lamb) generously with salt and fresh black pepper. Massage it in.
    Set the beef aside for about 15-30 minutes.
    1 pound ground beef
  • Heat 1 tablespoon of ghee over medium heat.
    Add 1 large diced yellow onion. Cook the onion until it is soft and translucent.
    1 tablespoon ghee, 1 large yellow onion, diced
  • Heat the beef (or chicken broth) in a small saucepan with a tight fitting lid over medium low heat.
    3 cups broth, heated
  • Once the onion is translucent and soft, add the ground beef along with the ouzi rice spices.
    1 whole dried lime, 2 whole bay leaves, 5 whole cardamom pods, crushed, 1 whole cinnamon stick, 2 whole cloves, 1 teaspoon Arabic 7 spices, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon pink sea salt
  • Brown the beef over medium heat, breaking it apart as it browns so the beef pieces are very small.
  • Once the beef is brown, add the 2 cups washed brown rice and 1 ½ cups frozen (not thawed) mixed vegetables.
    Cook for about 2-3 minutes, just to get the rice coated in the spice.
    2 cups brown rice, 1 ½ cups frozen mixed vegetables
  • Pour the 3 cups of hot broth into your pan. Turn up the heat to high and bring it to a boil.
  • Once it is boiling, cover the pan with a lid, turn the heat down to low and cook until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.
    This usually takes about 15-20 minutes, a little longer for wild rice.

How to serve Ouzi Rice with Chicken

  • Once your ouzi rice is done, pour it all out onto a big serving platter.
    Serve warm ouzi rice topped with roasted chicken and toasted pine nuts.
    ½ cup pine nuts

Video

Notes

**recipe note: if you are using wild rice, use only 2 ½ cups of broth instead of 3 because wild rice soaks up less water.**
 
Nutrition facts on this recipe are just an estimate and may vary based on the ingredients you choose.

Nutrition

Serving: 1seving ouzi rice with chickenCalories: 643kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 45gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 11.7gCholesterol: 216mgSodium: 101mgPotassium: 695mgFiber: 5gVitamin A: 258IUVitamin C: 3.75mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 3.42mg
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