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Chicken Maqluba

Name: Chicken Maqluba
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 60 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 1/2 lb chicken thighs, bone-in; 3 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes; 2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1/2-inch rounds; 1 small head cauliflower, broken into florets; 2 tomatoes, sliced; 1 large onion, thinly sliced; 5 cloves garlic, minced; 2 tbsp baharat or allspice-heavy spice blend; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 cup vegetable oil, for frying; 1 1/2 tsp salt, plus more to taste; 3 cups chicken broth; 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, for garnish

A dramatic pot of rice, chicken, and fried eggplant flipped upside down onto a platter — fragrant, golden, and impossible to resist.

⏱ 35 minPrep time

🔥 1 hrCook time

🍽 6Servings

🏷 DinnerCategory

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Maqluba means upside down, and the name tells you everything about the drama of this dish. Rice, chicken, and fried eggplant are layered in a pot, cooked together, and then flipped onto a platter so the golden crust that formed on the bottom becomes the crown on top. It is Levantine in origin, but the Gulf has adopted it with enthusiasm, and it appears at family lunches and dinner parties across Saudi Arabia and the Emirates. It is also a wonderful way to feed a crowd, since everything cooks in a single pot.

The great flip

Peeling the pot away to reveal the neat layers is a moment of genuine ceremony — everyone gathers to watch. Beneath the crust sit tender chicken, silky fried eggplant, cauliflower, and rice perfumed with baharat and cinnamon, all of it soaked in the same rich broth. Serve it with yogurt or a simple salad, and let the person who flips take the credit. The toasted pine nuts on top add a final buttery crunch that completes the dish.

Craving more? Explore all Gulf / Saudi Kitchen recipes.

Get the rice right every time with our How to Cook Perfect Rice Every Time. Part of the Middle Eastern pantry tradition — see the full guide to 20 essential Middle Eastern pantry ingredients.

Gulf / Saudi recipes →

Step by stepInstructions

Salt the eggplant slices, let them sit 15 minutes, then pat dry. Heat the oil in a skillet and fry the eggplant and cauliflower in batches until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
In the same skillet, brown the chicken on both sides, about 8 minutes, then remove.
In a large pot, cook the onion in 2 tbsp of the frying oil until soft, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and spices and cook 1 minute.
Add the broth and salt, nestle in the chicken, and simmer 20 minutes until just cooked. Remove the chicken and keep the broth.
Layer the bottom of a deep pot with the tomato slices, then the fried eggplant and cauliflower, then the chicken.
Drain the soaked rice and spread it over the top, pressing down gently. Pour the hot broth over the rice.
Cover and cook over low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Let the pot rest off the heat for 10 minutes.
Place a large platter over the pot and flip it quickly and confidently. Lift the pot off, scatter with pine nuts, and serve.

💡 Chef tips & storage

The flip is easier if you let the pot rest off the heat for 10 minutes first. Use a wide, shallow pot so the layers stay neat and the rice cooks evenly.

Recipe details

Prep35 min

Cook1 hr

Servings6

CategoryDinner

PublishedAugust 17, 2026

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

Chicken Maqluba

The great flip

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Chicken Maqluba

The great flip

Step by stepInstructions

💡 Chef tips & storage

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Recipe details

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

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