Chicken Nasi Kebuli
[By Chef Brian Ardianto]
This Chicken Nasi Kebuli is a fragrant Middle Eastern–inspired rice dish cooked with rich spiced chicken broth, milk, and aromatic herbs. Sunsweet Prunes add a gentle sweetness that blends beautifully with the savory flavors. Perfect to share with your loved ones at home — or turn it into a delicious menu to sell and share the goodness with others!
Ingredients
Dry Spices:
- 1½ tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp whole peppercorns
- 5 cloves
- ½ nutmeg
- 2 star anise
Wet Spice Paste:
- 6 shallots
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 thumb-size pieces of ginger
- 1 thumb-size piece of turmeric
- 100 ml water
Braised Chicken Ingredients:
- 1 kg whole chicken thighs (6–7 pieces)
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 8 green cardamom pods
- 2 liters water
- 2 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp chicken stock powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 5 Sunsweet Prunes, cut into quarters
Nasi Kebuli (Spiced Rice):
- 400 g basmati rice
- 1000 ml seasoned broth (from the chicken)
- 200 ml full-cream milk
- 2 tbsp margarine or ghee
- (add salt to taste when cooked)
Topping:
- Sunsweet Prunes, cut into quarters
- Sliced onion
Pineapple–Prune Pickles:
- 100 g pineapple
- 100 g carrot
- 100 g cucumber
- 80 g shallots
- 50 g green bird’s eye chilies
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp vinegar
- 300 ml hot water
- 8 Sunsweet Prunes (whole or halved)
Complements:
- Pickles
- Emping (melinjo crackers)
- Sambal (spicy chili paste)
Instructions
COOKING PROCESS
- Make the Pickles: Mix salt, sugar, vinegar, and hot water until the sugar dissolves. Pour the vinegar mixture into a bowl containing sliced pineapple, carrot, cucumber, shallots, and whole green chilies. Add Sunsweet Prunes, then stir well. Let sit at room temperature for one hour, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Dry-roast the dry spices and grind until fine. Blend the wet spices until smooth. Heat a pot and sauté the wet spice mixture until the liquid reduces. Add cooking oil, sliced onion, and tomato. Cook until fragrant and the onion softens, then add the ground dry spices, cinnamon stick, sliced green cardamom pods, bay leaves, salt, stock powder, and sugar.
- Cook the Chicken (Ungkep): Add the chicken into the pot with the spice mixture, stir until the color changes slightly. Pour in water and add sliced Sunsweet Prunes, then simmer over medium to low heat until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Cook the Nasi Kebuli: Combine basmati rice with the chicken broth and milk, then cook in a rice cooker until done. Add margarine or ghee once the rice is cooked.
- Serve the Nasi Kebuli with fried or grilled chicken. Top with sliced onion and Sunsweet Prunes, and serve with pickles, emping crackers, and sambal on the side.
