Chicken ouzi
Tips
Whenever you cook with rice, it is important to rinse it. You can do without, but it yields a better result. Place the uncooked rice in a strainer and run cold water over it until the water runs clear. The reasons for rinsing rice are threefold. Firstly, it cleans the rice and removes any dirt or dust that may have gathered on its surface. Secondly, running water over the slightly dehydrated rice starts the rehydration process, meaning your rice will be plumper. Thirdly, it removes the starchy residue left on it after processing. Removing this allows you to cook tender rice that does not clump.
Questions about ouzi
Try our tasty ouzi recipe with chicken this Ramadan to serve a dish that is both decorative and delicious. To learn more about it, read our answers to the most frequently asked questions below.
Ingredients
Filling:
Grated mozzarella cheese | 75 g |
|---|---|
Chicken mince | 200 g |
Whole chicken (approx. 1 kg) | 1 |
Chicken stock | 480 ml |
Butter | 100 g |
Rice | 200 g |
Salt to taste | |
Almonds | 150 g |
Olive oil | 2 tbsp |
Raisins |
Pastry:
Butter, to grease the mould | |
|---|---|
Filo pastry | 200 g |
Olive oil | 2 tbsp |
Garnish:
Toasted almonds | |
|---|---|
Lettuce |
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Traditional chicken ouzi with rice
Chicken ouzi is a tasty Arabic classic filled with lovely flavours and textures. From tender rice and minced meat to gooey melted Mozzarella cheese, crunchy almonds, chewy raisins, and juicy chicken slices, this crispy filo pastry pie holds many great surprises. It is filled with wonderful savoury flavours and has sweet and nutty undertones that make it a wonderfully well-rounded pie dish.
As is the tradition, the rice is cooked first in butter and then in stock rather than simply in water. This infuses the naturally nutty-tasting rice with plenty of buttery and savoury goodness. As a result, the dish's chicken flavour is enhanced so you will be left wanting more with every bite.
Beautiful upside-down filo package
Chicken ouzi is a staple in many Middle Eastern homes. It is sometimes served as single-serve filo pastry parcels with spiced rice and meat, but we have opted to make one large filo package. A whole upside-down chicken ouzi pie rather than individual packages eases the cooking process and garnished with slivered almonds and fresh, crispy lettuce, it makes for a beautiful centrepiece for iftar to impress family and guests alike.
Serve it with a side salad like a colourful, flavour-packed rocca salad or quinoa salad with feta or simply with a mint and cucumber-flavoured yoghurt dressing.
Multiple layers of crispy filo dough
Filo pastry is wonderfully versatile and great for sweet and savoury dishes and it is what makes this chicken ouzi so characteristic and delicious. Though it can be made from scratch, many prefer the ease of using frozen dough that has already been rolled out into thin, ready-to-use sheets.
When thawed overnight, these pastry sheets are convenient and just as great at crisping up in the oven – even when multiple layers are placed on top of each other, they cook well and turn wonderfully flaky. As your chicken ouzi bakes, the pastry becomes beautifully golden and its light, flaky texture makes it delightful to bite into.
If you want to make other dishes with crispy filo pastry, we suggest having a look at our cheese sambousek recipe.
Experiment with the ouzi rice filling
It can be tempting to fill chicken ouzi with all sorts of delicious ingredients. However, to avoid overstuffing it and risk making it too dense, it is important to carefully consider what to include in the fillings. As such, if you want to experiment with traditional options like vibrant peas and pistachios, you may want to use these instead of raisins and almonds. Toasted pine nuts and chopped, fresh parsley are also tasty ideas for the chicken ouzi filling.
Since the rice is cooked in homemade stock, a way to mix up any chicken ouzi rice flavour is to infuse it with different herbs and spices added to the water in which the chicken is cooked. This will flavour the chicken as well as the rice!
Options like bay leaves, sweet-spicy cinnamon, aromatic allspice, depth-enhancing cumin, or traditional Middle Eastern 7 spice blend will work well in a classic chicken ouzi. Of course, a generous amount of salt and pepper is also a must.