Palestinian Maklouba Layered Dish (Print Version)

A fragrant, layered Palestinian dish with spiced rice, cauliflower, vegetables, and tender chicken cooked together and inverted.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 2.6 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (legs, thighs, or cut-up whole chicken)
02 - 1 teaspoon salt
03 - 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
04 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Rice

05 - 2 cups basmati rice
06 - 1 tablespoon salt
07 - Water for soaking

→ Vegetables

08 - 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
09 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced 0.4 inches thick
10 - 1 large onion, sliced
11 - Vegetable oil for frying

→ Spices

12 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
13 - 2 teaspoons ground coriander
14 - 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
15 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
16 - ½ teaspoon ground allspice
17 - ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
18 - 4 bay leaves

→ Broth

19 - 5 cups chicken stock or water

→ Garnish (optional)

20 - ¼ cup toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds
21 - ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

# How To:

01 - Rinse basmati rice thoroughly, then soak in cold water mixed with 1 tablespoon salt for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, brown all sides about 6 minutes. Remove and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, sauté sliced onions until translucent. Add cumin, coriander, cinnamon, turmeric, allspice, cardamom, and bay leaves; stir for 1 minute.
04 - Return chicken to pot, pour in chicken stock or water, bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes. Remove chicken and reserve broth.
05 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan. Fry cauliflower florets and potato slices in batches until golden. Drain on paper towels.
06 - Arrange fried potato slices at bottom of a large heavy-bottomed pot. Layer browned chicken, followed by fried cauliflower, then drained rice. Press gently.
07 - Pour reserved broth over rice to cover, about 4 to 5 cups. Heat pot over medium until edges bubble, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook 35 to 40 minutes without lifting lid.
08 - Turn off heat and allow to rest, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.
09 - Remove lid, place large serving platter on pot, quickly invert pot to unmold dish. Carefully lift pot off. Garnish with toasted nuts and parsley. Serve hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • One pot holds everything, but the inversion creates restaurant-quality presentation that feels like a small miracle.
  • The spice blend is warm and complex without being overwhelming, letting each layer shine through.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, and it feeds a crowd without demanding hours in the kitchen.
02 -
  • The inversion is not as scary as it feels; the key is making sure your platter is big enough and your pot is heavy enough to hold everything stable as you flip.
  • Don't uncover the pot during the final cook—every time you lift the lid, steam escapes and the timing gets thrown off.
  • If the rice seems dry when you add the broth, add a bit more; if it seems too wet, reduce the heat slightly so it evaporates gently rather than turning mushy.
03 -
  • Soak your rice in salted water, not plain water—the salt seasons the grains from the inside out and prevents them from absorbing too much liquid.
  • Use the heaviest-bottomed pot you own; it distributes heat evenly and prevents burning on the bottom, which would ruin the presentation.
  • Brown your chicken and fry your vegetables in advance if you're cooking for a crowd; this gives you flexibility and lets you focus on the final layering and cooking.
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