Best Yemeni Style Chicken Salad Recipes

CHICKEN MANDI

Steps:

• In a small bowl combine the ground spices including cumin, green cardamom, black pepper, coriander, turmeric, ginger, and nutmeg.
• If using whole spices: lightly roast the whole spices in a small dry frying pan for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Remove from heat and allow the spices to cool slightly. Then transfer to a spice grinder and grind until the spices reach a fine powder consistency.
• In a small bowl combine the olive oil, melted butter, lime juice, and a portion of the mandi spice.
• Coat your whole chicken, spatchcock chicken, halved chicken (remove the neck if you cut the chicken in half), or chicken pieces with the marinade thoroughly.
• Cover, refrigerate, and marinate the coated chicken for at least one hour, and preferably overnight (or 8 hours). *Remember to place the marinated chicken out before cooking for about 30 minutes to allow it to come to room temperature.
• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and line a baking tray or sheet with parchment paper.
• Roast the chicken for 40-45 minutes (check earlier if roasting chicken pieces, or cook longer for a whole chicken) or until the internal temperature is 180 degrees F (82 degrees C) as read by a digital meat thermometer. Remove from oven when done.
• Heat a large pan or Dutch oven with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant and becoming translucent. Add the crushed garlic cloves and saute for an additional 30 seconds.
• Add the diced green chiles, garlic ginger paste, mandi spice blend, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Continue to saute for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the soaked and rinsed rice and fry with the sauteed diced onion, green chiles, and spices. Stir continuously for 10 minutes.
• Pour in the chicken broth, stir, cover with aluminum foil and your pot or Dutch oven lid. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 10-15 minutes. *If the rice still has water after 10 minutes, cook for an additional 5 minutes.
• Once the rice is cooked, fluff the rice.
• Place a single barbecue charcoal briquette on your gas stove ring (or under a broiler on high) for about 5 minutes or until red hot.
• Make a double-layer pouch or bowl of aluminum foil that is lightly coated with cooking oil. Place the red hot coal into the pouch and nestle it into the center of the rice.
• Place the chicken over the rice and charcoal, then seal the pot with a sheet of aluminum foil again and seal with the lid. Leave the pot sealed for at least 10 minutes.
• Open the pot just before serving, carve the chicken pieces if needed, and serve over the smoky rice.

CHICKEN MANDI

Steps:

• Mix them all up and keep in airtight container.
• Season the chicken with salt. Mix butter with 2 teaspoons from the spice mix and brush the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes. You can skip the 10 minutes if you don't have much time.
• Preheat oven to 190C/375F. Cover the chicken with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 25 minutes. If the chicken is bigger you will need to bake it a little longer. Keep aside.
• In a pan add the olive oil, when hot add the onion and fry until translucent.
• Add the tomatoes and green chili, stir on medium heat for 4 minutes.
• Add the Yemeni spice mix, stir for two minutes. Pour the water and season with salt.
• When the water comes to a boil, add the rice. When it starts to boil again, cover tightly. Heat should turned down to the lowest.
• After 15 minutes, uncover the rice and gently stir, just to bring the bottom rice to the top. Cover tightly and cook for another 15-17 minutes.
• When serving, place the chicken on top of the rice and garnish with almonds and raisins.

TOFU "CHICKEN" SALAD

Steps:

• Cut tofu into 1/2 cubes and fry till golden brown, Mix tofu with mayo, onions, peppers and seasonings (use whatever seasonings you like).
• Add more or less mayo depending on how"wet" you like the salad.
• Best served in a pita pocket.