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Saleeg

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If there’s such as thing as a Middle Eastern risotto but even better, then Saleeg has got to be it! It’s a delicious rice dish made by cooking rice in whole milk with spices and topping it off with a grilled chicken. This classic dish from Saudi Arabia is incredibly tasty, and it’s no wonder it’s their favorite chicken and rice dish!

Saleeg is a traditional rice dish from the Hejaz area of Saudi Arabia and is commonly served for special occasions. But that doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself to this delicious meal! It’s wholesome, tasty, and has the most beautifully creamy texture. 

What’s best is that it’s loved by adults and kids, who happily have it every time without complaining. Although it may sound strange to you to cook rice in milk, this savory dish is worth the try, and trust me; you’ll want to make it again and again! Saleeg means ‘to boil,’ and that’s why this dish is super easy to make too!

🥘 INGREDIENTS YOU’LL NEED

This delicious rice dish only requires the most basic ingredients that you probably have in your kitchen pantry already!

You can scroll down to the recipe card for further details and instructions.

Rice: First, we’ll need some rice for this delicious Saudi Arabian rice meal. It’s recommended to use short-grain rice since it has more starch and will give you a creamier texture. 

Milk: You’ll also need milk to cook the rice in! Make sure you use whole milk as it will give you the tastiest Saleeg and the creamiest, which is true to how authentic Saleeg should be.

Chicken: We’ll also be adding some chicken to this delicious dish. Use chicken with skin on it for a classic flavor. If you don’t want to add chicken, you can also go for beef or lamb. 

Spices: Saleeg calls for subtle, warm spices such as cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves, and black peppercorns for the most wholesome rice dish you’ve ever tasted. 

Close up image of chicken saleeg.

🔪 HOW TO MAKE

Making Saleeg is easier than you think! Yet, you’ll get an incredibly creamy and tasty meal that’s like the Saudi Arabian version of risotto. Let’s check out the steps to make it at home.

The full instructions are in the recipe card below, but let’s look at the main steps to making this treat.

Step 1: 

Let’s start by making the chicken stock. In a large pot, add water and whole chicken. Add the chicken spices and ingredients and let the mixture boil. Once the chicken is cooked, drain the stock and discard the spices. Set the chicken stock aside.  

Making the chicken stock.

Step 2:

Cut the cooked chicken into four pieces. Place it on a baking sheet. Season the chicken with spices and spray it with oil. Broil it until the skin turns golden brown.

Broiling the chicken in the oven.

Step 3:

Let’s cook the rice now. Add the chicken stock we made earlier to a large pan and allow it to boil. Then add rice to the pan. 

Cooking the rice in stock.

Step 4:

Cook it for 40 minutes on medium heat or until it’s cooked. Add milk to the pan and season with salt. Cook for an additional 10 minutes.

Adding milk to cooked rice.

Your delicious Saleeg is ready to be served! Serve it with chicken, and pour half a tablespoon of melted butter on top before serving. 

Showing creamy saleeg rice.

💭 COOKING TIPS

  • The bigger the chicken, the longer it will take to cook.
  • You can add a cube of chicken bouillon to the chicken stock for more flavor.
  • Season the stock with salt after adding the chicken cube.
  • You can use long-grain rice for this recipe. However, short-grain rice has more starch and helps in making the Saleeg rice creamy.
  • Some use a mixture of long-grain and short-grain rice to make Saleeg.
  • It is best to cook the chicken with its skin; it will add more flavor to the stock.
  • Removing the foam created when boiling the chicken reduces the smell of the chicken.
  • Saleeg is a Saudi dish prepared differently depending on which part of Saudi Arabia you are in. Some add fried onion, while others add more spices to the chicken when broiling it. I am sharing the basic recipe here.

📖 DELICIOUS VARIATIONS

This delicious Saudi Arabian dish is an absolute classic recipe and tastes incredible. But if you’re looking to customize it, here are a few ideas you can try:

Meat: Instead of chicken, you can also make this recipe using beef or lamb, depending on what you love more. Follow the exact instructions but adjust the cooking time to ensure the meat is cooked through. 

Rice: You can also use long-grain rice instead of short-grain if available. You can also use a mixture of short-grain and long-grain in this recipe, as many people do while making Saleeg.

Serving: You can serve it with melted butter, as mentioned in the recipe, or serve it with fried onions. Regardless of what you do, it is going to taste incredible!

Grilled chicken with golden skin on saleeg rice.

💬 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is Saleeg?

Saleeg is a traditional Saudi Arabian dish with chicken, rice, and milk. It is usually served with chicken and melted butter on top. The chicken is cooked in a broth made by boiling it with spices; then, the rice is added to the broth until it’s soft and creamy. Milk is then added to give it a creamy texture. 

What kind of rice should I use to make Saleeg?

You can use either long-grain or short-grain rice for this recipe. Short-grain rice has more starch and helps make the Saleeg rice creamy, and that’s why it’s the best kind of rice to use. Some people also use a mixture of long-grain and short-grain rice to make Saleeg. 

Can I use beef or lamb to make Saleeg?

You can use beef or lamb instead of chicken to make Saleeg. Adjust the cooking time to ensure that the meat is cooked through.

🍲 MORE RICE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

🌡️ STORING AND REHEATING

Fridge: You can store any leftovers you may have in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. 

Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing Saleeg as this will greatly alter the texture of the overall dish and rice.

Reheat: When reheating Saleeg, add a little more milk or water to it and heat it on the stove on low heat until it’s warm all the way through and the consistency is right.

Chicken saleeg feature image 2022.

Saleeg

Saleeg is a traditional, creamy Saudi Arabian rice dish! It's made by cooking rice in whole milk with some spices and topping it off with chicken.
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Course: Main Meal
Cuisine: Arabian
Keyword: Saleeg
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 6 People
Calories: 603kcal
Author: Muna Kenny

Ingredients

TO COOK THE CHICKEN

  • 1200 grams whole chicken with skin
  • ½ tablespoon black pepper corns
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 4 green whole cardamoms
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 1 medium onion cut in half
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Enough water to cover the chicken

TO SEASON THE CHICKEN FOR BROILING

  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • Oil to spray the chicken

FOR THE RICE

  • 1 ¼ cup short grain rice washed and soaked
  • 4 ½ cups from the prepared chicken stock
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • Salt to taste
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Instructions

HOW TO MAKE THE CHICKEN STOCK

  • In a large pot, add the water and then the washed whole chicken.
  • Add all the chicken spices and ingredients to the pot. Let it come to aboil and remove the foam created over the chicken.
  • When the chicken is cooked, Drain the chicken stock and discard all the whole spices. Keep the stock aside.
  • Cut it in four parts and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Season the chicken with black pepper, paprika, and salt. Spray the chicken with oil.
  • Place in a preheated oven under the broiler. The goal here is to give the chicken skin a beautiful brown color. Keep aside.

HOW TO MAKE THE RICE

  • In a large pan, add the chicken stock and when it comes to a boil, add the washed, soaked, and then drained rice.
  • Cook the rice for 40 minutes on medium heat, or until the rice is cooked. Pour the milk over the rice and season with salt if needed. Let it cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
  • Serve the Saleeg rice with the chicken and pour a half tablespoon melted butter over it before serving.

Video

Notes

  • The bigger chicken will take a longer time to cook.
  • For more flavor, add a cube of chicken bouillon to the chicken stock. Season the stock with salt after adding the chicken cube.
  • You can use long-grain rice for this recipe. However, short-grain rice has more starch and helps in making the Saleeg rice creamy.
  • Some use a mixture of long-grain rice and short-grain rice.
  • It is best to cook the chicken with its skin; it will add more flavor to the stock.
  • Removing the foam created when boiling the chicken reduces the smell of the chicken.
  • Saleeg is a Saudi dish prepared differently depending on which part of Saudi Arabia you are in. Some add fried onion, while others add more spices to the chicken when broiling it. I am sharing the basic recipe here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Serving | Calories: 603kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 131mg | Sodium: 772mg | Potassium: 544mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 533IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 235mg | Iron: 4mg
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2 Comments

  1. I’ve never had saleeg before. I think it sounds delicious! I’ll bet that cooking rice in milk is wonderful. I’ll have to give this a try!

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