Chicken Mandi made in the Oven features fragrant basmati rice and tender, marinated chicken, baked to perfection. Yemeni Mandi is different because of the special blend of spices used in the marinade, including cardamom and cloves, which infuse the dish with an exquisite aroma and taste. The traditional cooking process involves burying a pot containing the meat and rice in a sand oven, allowing the flavors to meld and intensify, but in this recipe, I’ll show you how to make it in the oven.
What goes in chicken mandi
Chicken
I used 1 whole chicken, about 3 lbs, for this recipe, but you can also use chicken quarters or even small-sized pieces, which will also work for this recipe. Wash and pat dry the chicken before applying the spice rub.
Spice mix
Mandi masala is very similar to garam masala. Take coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamom, black pepper, and cinnamon sticks. Dry roast them for 3-4 minutes. Let them cool down and make a powder; after grinding, add turmeric powder and salt.
Rice
I used aged extra-long-grain basmati rice for mandi; usually, in Arabian dishes, rice is added first into the masala. For this recipe, I washed the rice before adding it to the baking tray. Always use sela basmati rice or aged long-grain basmati rice for mandi. I used aged long-grain basmati rice, and for every cup of rice, I added 2 cups of water. If you are using new long-grain basmati rice, then for every cup of rice, only use 1.5 cups of water.
Dried lime
Dried lemons are an essential ingredient in most Arabian dishes. I couldn’t find lemons, so I used 2 limes instead. I pricked the dried limes very carefully before adding them to the masala.
Saffron
Saffron is another popular ingredient for Middle Eastern dishes, but it is expensive. You can skip it if you don’t have it on hand. To bloom the saffron, add a few strands to a mortar and grind them to a fine powder; then add a few ice cubes to it. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
Baking Time for Mandi
Preheat your oven to 425°F and cook your mandi for 50 minutes. Make sure to tightly wrap the dish for even cooking. After 50 minutes, take out the dish. Put the chicken in another tray and bake uncovered for 25 more minutes. For your rice, add 2 tbsp of saffron water to it, cover, and cook for 5 more minutes.
How to serve chicken mandi
Smoking the rice
Yemeni mandi is usually made in a clay oven that runs on coal. To provide somewhat of the smoky flavor, I took one coal and heated it on the stove until it was red hot. In a bowl, I added some leftover oil and then the burned coal to smoke the rice and chicken at the very end. Make sure to quickly cover the pot so it can give the smoky aroma to the rice.
Garnish
Mandi is served with crisp almonds and raisins in addition to caramelized onions. You can skip garnish altogether if you are not a big fan of these ingredients.
Mandi Sauce
Complement the Mandi experience with a side mandi sauce, to balance the dish’s richness. All you need to do is throw everything in a blender and pulse several times and it’s ready. With its inviting aroma and mouthwatering appeal.
More Recipes to try
Chicken mandi made in the oven
Equipment
- 1 (9*13) oven-safe dish
- 1 cooling wire rack
Ingredients
- 3lbs chicken 1 whole chicken with skin
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Whole spices to make mandi masala
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 5 green cardamom
- 2 inch cinnamon
Other ingredients for Mandi masala
- 1 tsp salt adjust it to your taste
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
Ingredients for rice
- 1 small onion roughly sliced
- 3 cups basmati rice aged long grain
- 2 tsp salt or to taste
- 2 dried lemon or lime optional
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 6 cups water quantity may differ check notes
To smoke
- 1 coal
Saffron
- 5-6 strands saffron
- 1/4 cup ice cubes
Garnish
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds optional
- 1/4 cup raisins optional
- caramelized onions optional
Instructions
Make Mandi Masala
- Add all of the whole spices listed above for mandi masala to a pan and over medium heat roast for 3-4 minutes or until you see a little bit of color on them.
- Now transfer into a grinder and make a powder.
Marinate the chicken
- Divide one whole chicken with the skin into two pieces and pat dry.
- To marinate the chicken, add half of the Mandi masala made earlier with 1 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of turmeric, and 1/4 cup of oil. Rub this marinade over the chicken, making sure to massage it under the skin as well. You can leave it overnight as well.
Prepare Rice
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Take 3 cups of rice. Wash until water runs clear. Now add rice to a baking dish, remaining mandi masala, 2 tsp of salt, olive oil, dried lemon or lime, bay leaves, and 6 cups of boiling water. Mix all of the ingredients.
- Put a wire rack on top of the tray and chicken on the wire rack. Tightly cover it with foil paper.
- Bake it for 50 minutes at 425°F.
Prepare Garnish
- Meanwhile, add 1 tsp of oil in a pan and toast some almonds and raisins for garnish. Make mandi sauce and also bloom saffron.
Bloom Saffron
- To bloom saffron, grind a few saffron strands to make powder. Add a few ice cubes and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- After 50 minutes remove the chicken and put it back in the oven for 25 minutes, uncovered.
- Now add 2 tbsp of bloomed saffron water to rice, cover, and bake for 5 more minutes.
Smoke Mandi
- Heat a coal over the flame.
- After 25 minutes chicken is cooked thoroughly, transfer it back to the rice dish and smoke with a coal.
- Garnish with almonds and raisins and enjoy.