Egyptian Molokhia with Chicken

Method12 steps · about 2 hr 15 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Put the 3 lb whole chicken, the 1 onion, 3 bay leaves, 8 cardamom pods and 10 cups broth water in a large pot. Start with 2 teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

   Uses 3 lbs whole chicken · 1 onion · 3 bay leaves · 8 cardamom pods · 10 cups water for the chicken broth · 2 tsp salt and ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper initially

2. 2

   Step 2: Bring the chicken pot from step 1 to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cover for about 90 minutes, checking the pot periodically. Continue until the chicken is fully cooked and reaches 74°C in the thickest breast and thigh away from bone. Lift the cooked chicken onto a clean plate. Strain and reserve the broth, removing the onion, bay leaves and cardamom pods. Taste the broth and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

   Simmer the chicken broth · 90 minUses Chicken, water, onion and whole-spice broth pot · Salt and pepper, if needed after tasting

3. 3

   Step 3: Rinse the 4 cups uncooked rice several times in clean water until the rinse water runs clear, then drain well. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a separate rice pot. Add the washed rice and stir to coat. Pour in 2 cups reserved chicken broth from step 2 and the separate 2 cups fresh rice water.

   Uses 4 cups uncooked Calrose short-grain rice · Clean water for rinsing the rice · 2 tbsp butter for the rice · 2 cups reserved chicken broth for rice · 2 cups fresh water for cooking the rice

4. 4

   Step 4: Season the rice pot from step 3 with salt and pepper to taste. Bring it to a boil over high heat without a lid, then reduce to medium heat and keep it uncovered until liquid is no longer visible on top of the rice.

   Uses Butter-coated rice with measured broth and fresh water · Salt and pepper for the rice, to taste

5. 5

   Step 5: Reduce the rice from step 4 to very low heat and cover. Cook for about 5–7 minutes, checking after 5 minutes, until the grains are fully tender. Take the pot off the heat and keep it covered until serving.

   Finish the covered rice · 5 minUses Rice after the uncovered surface-liquid checkpoint

6. 6

   Step 6: Cut the cooked chicken from step 2 into serving pieces and place them in a baking pan. Set the oven to broil; keep the pan ready for the glaze.

   Uses Lifted fully cooked chicken

7. 7

   Step 7: In a separate bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons tomato paste with the juice of the 1 lime and salt and pepper to taste. Rub this glaze over the cooked chicken pieces from step 6.

   Uses 3 tbsp tomato paste · 1 lime · Salt and pepper for the tomato-lime glaze, to taste · Cooked chicken pieces in the baking pan

8. 8

   Step 8: Put the glazed cooked chicken from step 7 on the top oven rack and broil for about 3–5 minutes, checking after 3 minutes and watching closely, until the skin is browned and crisp. Remove the pan.

   Check the broiled chicken skin · 3 minUses Tomato-lime glazed cooked chicken

9. 9

   Step 9: Peel and finely mince the 1½ heads garlic. Divide this minced batch: reserve one quarter to add directly to the molokhia and keep the remaining three quarters for frying.

   Uses 1½ heads garlic, finely minced and divided

10. 10

    Step 10: Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a nonstick skillet. Add the three-quarter share of minced garlic from step 9, a little salt to taste and the 1 tablespoon ground coriander. Fry, watching and stirring, until the garlic is dark golden brown without burning, then set this garlic-butter mixture aside.

    Uses Remaining 2 tbsp butter for garlic · Remaining three quarters of the minced garlic batch · Salt for the fried garlic, to taste · 1 tbsp ground coriander

11. 11

    Step 11: Put 4 cups reserved strained chicken broth from step 2 in another pot. Add the 800 g frozen minced molokhia and the reserved quarter of minced garlic from step 9. Bring to a boil, stirring continuously. If needed for a thinner consistency, add 1–2 more cups of the same reserved broth.

    Uses 4 cups reserved chicken broth for molokhia · 800 g frozen minced molokhia (jute mallow leaves) · Reserved quarter of the minced garlic batch · An additional 1–2 cups reserved broth, only if needed

12. 12

    Step 12: Once the frozen molokhia pot from step 11 is boiling, boil for about 1 minute, stirring, and ensure the leaves are fully cooked according to their product directions. Stir in all the fried garlic-butter mixture from step 10. Serve the molokhia over the tender rice from step 5 alongside the broiled chicken from step 8.

    Boil the frozen molokhia · 1 minUses Boiling frozen-molokhia stew · Fried garlic, coriander and butter · Cooked Calrose rice · Broiled tomato-lime chicken pieces