Tender Yemeni Chicken Mandi

Name: Tender Yemeni Chicken Mandi
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken; 1/4 cup oil; 2 onions; 1 bulb of garlic, peeled and chopped; 1 tsp cloves; 1 tsp whole cumin seeds; 1 tsp peppercorns; 1 cinnamon stick; 1 tsp coriander seeds; 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp green cardamom; 1 tbsp salt; 1 tsp ground black pepper powder; 5 cups water; 1 dry lemon; Handful of cherry tomatoes; 1 onion; 4 garlic cloves; 4 green chillies; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp pepper; Small bunch of fresh coriander leaves; 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice; Water; 2 cups long grain rice; 1 cup water; 1 tsp saffron threads; 1 tsp salt; 1 tsp pepper; Pinch of orange food colour

Aamna Bawa 20th June 2024

Servings: 4 Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins Difficulty: Beginner

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This chicken mandi recipe makes the Yemeni rice dish that’s loved across the Middle East: chicken halves simmered with whole spices and dried lemon, roasted with saffron, then served on rice cooked in the same broth and finished with a quick burst of smoke.

Aamna’s recipe makes it at home without a special oven. The smoke comes from a hot coal in a small bowl, and a fresh green mandi sauce goes on the side.

Why this recipe works

Rice cooked in chicken broth. The rice soaks up all the flavour of the spiced cooking liquid.
Dried lemon. It adds the sour, earthy note that mandi is known for.
Saffron glaze and a hot oven. Brushing the chicken with saffron and roasting at 200°C gives it colour and aroma.
Smoke at the end. Five minutes under cover with a hot coal gives mandi its smoky taste.

Tips for the best chicken mandi

Soak the rice. An hour in water helps it cook evenly and stay fluffy.
Cool the chicken first. Let it come to room temperature before brushing on the saffron so the glaze sticks.
Smoke safely. Heat the coal over a flame until glowing, put it in a small metal bowl on the rice, add a few drops of oil and cover straight away.
Adjust the sauce. Add a little water if the mandi sauce is too thick.

What to serve with chicken mandi

Serve on a big tray with fried onions and toasted cashews, with the mandi sauce on the side. For a bigger feast, try our roasted lamb shoulder mandi.

Chicken Mandi FAQs

What is Yemeni mandi?

A traditional dish from Yemen of spiced meat served on fragrant rice, known for its smoky flavour. It is now popular all over the Middle East. Our mandi guide explains how it is cooked in Yemen and how it differs from biryani.

How do you get a smoky flavour in mandi at home?

Put a glowing piece of charcoal in a small metal bowl, set it on the rice, add a few drops of oil and cover the tray for 5 minutes.

What is dried lemon?

Also sold as dried lime or loomi, it is a whole citrus fruit dried until hard. It gives mandi a sour, slightly earthy taste. Look for it in Middle Eastern shops.

What is mandi sauce made of?

Tomato, onion, garlic, green chillies, coriander, lemon juice, salt and pepper, blended until smooth.

What is the difference between chicken mandi and lamb mandi?

The method is the same: the meat is simmered with whole spices and dried lemon, roasted, then served on rice cooked in the broth. Chicken halves cook faster, while Aamna’s lamb mandi uses a whole shoulder roasted until crisp, which makes it the one for a bigger gathering.

You’ll find the full ingredients, the method and our step-by-step video in the recipe card below.

Tender Yemeni Chicken Mandi

Chicken Mandi is a traditional Yemeni dish that features tender chicken halves cooked with fragrant spices, served over aromatic rice.

Author: Aamna Bawa Cooking Method: Grilling, Poaching, Roasting Cuisine: Middle Eastern Courses: Dinner, Lunch Recipe Keys: High Protein Non Vegetarian Slow Cooker Recipes

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Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 60 mins Total Time 1 hr 10 mins Difficulty: Beginner Servings: 4

Instructions

Video

Prepare the Chicken Mandi:

Heat ¼ cup of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add chopped onions and garlic, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in cloves, cumin seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, bay leaves, green cardamom, salt, and black pepper powder. Cook for 3 minutes until fragrant.
Add the chicken halves to the pan. Pour in 5 cups of water and bring to a boil.
Drop in the dry lemon. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer and cook covered for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove the chicken from the pan and let it cool to room temperature.

Prepare the Mandi Sauce:

In a blender, combine cherry tomatoes (or one large tomato), roughly chopped onion, garlic cloves, green chillies, salt, pepper, and fresh coriander leaves. Blend until smooth.
Add fresh lemon juice and blend again. Adjust the consistency with water if needed. Set aside.

Prepare Fragrant Rice:

Strain and reserve 1 cup of water from the chicken broth.
In a separate pot, combine the soaked rice and 1 cup of the reserved chicken broth water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

Prepare the Saffron Mixture:

In a small bowl, mix saffron threads, salt, pepper, orange food colour (if using), lemon juice, oil, and chicken broth. Set aside.

Assemble and Smoke:

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (392 degrees Fahrenheit).
Brush the cooled chicken with the saffron mixture and place it in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.
Once the rice is cooked, brush it with the saffron mixture as well.
Place the cooked chicken on top of the rice in a serving tray.
To infuse a smoky flavour, heat a small metal bowl over a flame, add a hot coal and a bit of oil, then cover the tray for 5 minutes.