Southern

Southern Chicken Mandi

Authentic Southern Chicken Mandi featuring a rich charcoal-smoked flavor, traditional Mandi spices, and fluffy, flavorful basmati rice.

1 h 25 min 4 servings 680 cal/serving Medium 13 views
Southern Chicken Mandi

Instructions

  1. Seasoning the Chicken
    Season the chicken halves with half the salt, the turmeric, half a teaspoon of the mandi spices, and half of the dissolved saffron powder mixture along with one tablespoon of oil, then set aside. · 10 min
  2. Preparing the Rice Base
    In a suitable deep baking dish, heat two tablespoons of oil and sauté the onion until softened, then add the whole spices and the remaining mandi spices until fragrant. · 5 min
  3. Adding Rice and Broth
    Drain the soaked rice and add it to the baking dish, then pour in the boiling water and the remaining salt along with the whole chili peppers, and stir gently.
  4. Arranging the Chicken
    Cover the rice dish tightly with two layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil, poke numerous small holes with a fork, and arrange the seasoned chicken halves directly on top of the perforated foil.
  5. Baking
    Cover the chicken with a sheet of parchment paper followed by another layer of aluminum foil, seal the edges tightly, and place in a preheated oven at 200°C for 60 minutes. · 1 h
  6. Browning the Chicken
    Remove the top foil from the chicken, brush it with the remaining saffron water and ghee, then broil under the grill for 5 to 7 minutes until nicely golden and crisp. · 7 min
  7. Smoking and Serving
    Place the chicken halves over the rice inside the dish, place a small cup of oil in the center, drop the lit burning charcoal into it, and immediately cover the dish tightly with foil for 5 minutes to infuse with smoky barbecue flavor before serving. · 5 min

Nutrition / serving

680
cal
43
protein g
68
carbs g
26
fat g

Chef's tips

To ensure perfectly fluffy, non-mushy rice, stick to the exact amount of added water and make sure to seal the baking pan tightly with foil so steam does not escape and the grains cook entirely through steam.