Jaj mahshi rice stuffed chicken also known as dajaj mahshi is an Arab dish that makes for a gorgeous and delicious centerpiece on any dinner table. This meal is often made for special occasions and gatherings. It has a beautiful presentation, and the combination of succulent, flavorful chicken and aromatic, fluffy rice is a winner with many. Serve it with some yogurt and salad for an authentic Arab meal.
You’ll find this dish made throughout regions of the Middle East, all with their unique take on it. This recipe is my mama’s way- the Palestinian way of rice-stuffed chicken, Jaj Mahshi.
How to make Djaj Mahshi:
I’ll start by admitting I was intimidated to make a Jaj mahshi rice stuffed chicken for the longest time. The thought of cooking a whole chicken frightened me, especially for guests. Thoughts of, what if it isn’t cooked through? What if the rice is soggy? Is it flavorful enough? All these thoughts ran into doubts in my mind, but with Mama’s guidance, I was confident, and it turned out amazing. I felt the same way about cooking a whole leg of lamb, but now it is one of my favorite recipes to make for a gathering and so delicious.
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The chicken marinade:
To create a paste, the chicken is marinated in several spices, lemon juice, and olive oil.
- 7 Spice – adds the rich and warm aromatic flavors of the Middle East throughout this dish. You will find it in every component, from the rice to the meat to the chicken marinade.
- Smoked Paprika– not only does this add a smokey flavor, but it is also such a gorgeous color to the chicken’s exterior.
- Garlic Powder– I use this in almost all my savory recipes as I am a huge fan of garlic. It works very well with chicken.
- Turmeric– adds a beautiful tint to the color and flavor, along with nutritional benefits.
- All-purpose poultry seasoning– you can find this in all supermarkets. It’s an all-in-one seasoning for anything chicken.
- Salt & pepper– the jewels of all seasoning and an absolute must here.
These spices are combined with olive oil and lemon juice to create a paste that will be rubbed onto and into the chicken for optimal flavor.
Hashweh (Rice & meat filling)
Hashweh is the arab word for stuffing or, in this case, the rice and minced meat aromatic filling that will be in the cavity of the chicken. Hashweh is also excellent if you want a stand-alone, extra-flavorful rice dish. I have a variation on my blog that you can check out here. For this chicken stuffed with rice recipe, the stuffing is very simple but effective in flavor.
- The rice and ground beef will be seasoned with seven spice, salt, and pepper.
- The ground beef is broken down finely and cooked with onions before adding in the soaked rice.
- Add the cooking liquid, water, or stock, and let it simmer until the rice is cooked 3/4 of the way through.
- Stir in toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts, and the Jaj mahshi filling is complete.
Another standard stuffing in a substitute with rice is freekeh. I have a Palestinian Freekey Soup Recipe with chicken that is delicious, but I do have a freekeh stuffed chicken in my Arab cooking coursetoo!
Tips for making Jaj Mahshi rice stuffed chicken:
- Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours, if not overnight.
- To keep the chicken moist, add water to the bottom of the baking pan to trap in steam and keep it moist. Cover the chicken with parchment paper and cover the pan in aluminum foil.
- To achieve a brown and slightly crispy exterior, broil the chicken after it roasts for a few minutes.
How to serve Dajaj Mahshi-stuffed chicken with rice:
This is a dish you can make to be the centerpiece of your dinner table. It can be very appealing, especially with the rice cascading from the chicken. I add lemon and orange slices and pomegranate to the serving platter to make it even more attractive. The colors are vibrant and inviting. I garnish with parsley as well for appeal.
This meal is typically served with Arabic-style saladplain yogurt, or cucumber yogurt. I also like to serve it with a side dish like cheese rolls or Spanakopita.
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I’m excited for you to try my family’s Jaj Mahshi recipe! If you try my recipes, please leave a star rating and/ or review in the comment section below. I love hearing from you. Feel free to leave any questions or comments below as well. You can share your remakes with me on Instagram!
Hashweh ( Rice and meat filling)
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First, marinate your chicken to give it as much time as possible to soak in those flavors. I typically clean, pat dry, and marinate my chicken the night before.
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For the marinade, combine all the spices listed above with the olive oil and lemon juice. You can always adjust by adding more olive if the paste is too thick or a tad more seasonings to make it more paste-like.
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Rub the marinade onto the chickens exterior as well as interior and under the skin. Make sure to do so well to disperse all that wonderful flavor.
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Let this marinate and work on the Hashweh (rice and meat filling).
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Add the olive oil and onions to a pot and cook until transluscent before adding in the ground beef. Make sure to break down the beef until it is fine. You don’t want chunks of it for this recipe.
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Season this with 1/2 tbsp seven spice, salt and pepper. Stir and once cooked through-set aside.
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For the rinsed rice, season it with the remaining 1/2 tbsp 7 spice, along with salt and pepper as well. Stir together then add this to the meat mixture in the pot along with the ghee.
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Stir together and add water or stock. Bring to a light boil then cover and simmer for roughly 15 minutes until cooked through a little over 3/4 of the way. You want it to still have a slight chew as it will cointiue to cook later on.
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Once the stuffing is ready and slightly cooled, gently fold in the toasted nuts to complete the filling for the chicken.
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Grab the marinated chicken and into the cavity start stuffing it with the cooked rice until it full. You can fold the skin over the cavity and shut with a toothpick or skewer initially to help the rice stay put and remove this in the cooking process or after.
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Add the stuffed chicken’s to a baking dish and place 1 cup of water at the bottom of the dish. This will keep the chicken moist.
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Cover the chicken in parchment paper then cover the entire baking dish in aluminum foil.
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Place in a 450 F oven for 1 hour then bring the temperature down to 400 F for another hour. Check the internal temperature of the chicken at the thickest part. It needs to read at aleast 165 F for it to be cooked through. Once cooked through, take off the foil and let it broil for a few minutes to achieve a caramelized color.
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Add the chicken to a serving platter and feel free to dress it up with lemon slices, pomegrante pieces, and a garnish of aprsley if you would like. This meal is best served with salad and yogurt. Enjoy!