Top 10 Middle Eastern Chicken Recipes – Mangoes and Palm Trees
Bold & Aromatic | Middle Eastern Flavors

Vibrant Culinary Journey Top 10 Middle Eastern Chicken Recipes A Mangoes and Palm Trees Adventure

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Explore 10 iconic Middle Eastern chicken recipes, crafted by Oliver & Natalia with over 15 years of culinary expertise, featuring tropical twists.

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Introduction to Middle Eastern Chicken Recipes


Middle Eastern chicken dishes are celebrated for their bold, aromatic flavors, combining spices, herbs, and time-honored traditions. From grilled skewers to slow-cooked stews, these recipes are accessible, versatile, and perfect for family dinners or gatherings, offering a taste of the Levant, Persia, and beyond.

Rooted in the Persian Empire, Ottoman era, and Levantine cultures, Middle Eastern chicken recipes reflect centuries of trade, conquest, and cultural exchange, as noted by The Mediterranean Dish. Key ingredients include olive oil, garlic, onions, cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, sumac, parsley, mint, lemon, yogurt, nuts, and dried fruits, creating a harmonious balance of flavors. Explore more in our Chicken Recipes and Middle Eastern culture collections.

Shish Tawook

Shish Tawook, a Lebanese classic, features tender, tangy chicken skewers, perfect for grilling enthusiasts.

Prep Time 15 mins (plus 2-12 hrs marinating)
Cook Time 12 mins
Total Time 27 mins (excluding marinating)
Servings 4-6

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient Preparation
2 lbs Chicken breast Cut into cubes
1 cup Plain yogurt –
1/4 cup Lemon juice Freshly squeezed
3 tbsp Olive oil –
4 cloves Garlic Minced
2 tsp Paprika –
1 tsp Cumin –
1 tsp Coriander –
1 tsp Sea salt –
1/2 tsp Black pepper –

Instructions

  1. Marinate chicken cubes in yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, paprika, cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper for 2-12 hours, ideally overnight.
  2. Preheat grill to medium-high (375-400°F/190-204°C), oil grates, and skewer chicken with optional bell peppers.
  3. Grill for 10-12 minutes, turning every 2-3 minutes, until 165°F (75°C).
  4. Serve with garlic sauce or tabbouleh.

Chicken Shawarma

Chicken Shawarma, a street food icon, delivers bold, spiced flavors in wraps or bowls.

Prep Time 15 mins (plus 4-12 hrs marinating)
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 55 mins (excluding marinating)
Servings 4-6

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient Preparation
2 lbs Chicken thighs –
1/4 cup Plain yogurt –
3 tbsp Olive oil –
1 tbsp Cumin –
1 tbsp Coriander –
2 tsp Paprika –
1 tsp Turmeric –
1 tsp Garlic powder –
1/2 tsp Cinnamon –
1 tsp Sea salt –
1/2 tsp Black pepper –
1/4 cup Tahini For mango-tahini drizzle
1/4 cup Mango puree For mango-tahini drizzle
1 tbsp Lemon juice For mango-tahini drizzle

Instructions

  1. Combine cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, garlic powder, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Marinate chicken thighs with yogurt, olive oil, and spice mix for 4-12 hours.
  2. Grill on medium-high for 5-7 minutes per side or roast at 400°F (200°C) for 30-40 minutes, then slice thinly.
  3. Mix tahini, mango puree, and lemon juice for drizzle.
  4. Serve in pita with tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, and garlic sauce, or over rice with pickles and mango-tahini drizzle. Try our Lebanese Chicken Shawarma.

Chicken Tagine

Chicken Tagine, a Moroccan staple, offers a rich, slow-cooked stew with vibrant flavors.

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 2-3 hrs
Total Time 2 hrs 15 mins – 3 hrs 15 mins
Servings 4-6

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient Preparation
2 lbs Chicken thighs or drumsticks –
1 tsp Turmeric –
1 tsp Cumin –
1 tsp Ginger –
1 tsp Sea salt –
2 Onions Sliced
2 Carrots Sliced
2 Tomatoes Sliced
1/2 cup Olives –
1 Preserved lemon –
1 cup Chicken broth –
1/2 cup Dried apricots or raisins –

Instructions

  1. Marinate chicken with turmeric, cumin, ginger, and salt.
  2. In a tagine or heavy pot, layer chicken, onions, carrots, tomatoes, olives, and preserved lemon; add broth.
  3. Cook on low for 2-3 hours until tender.
  4. Add dried apricots or raisins, serve with couscous or flatbread.

Sumac Chicken

Sumac Chicken, a Palestinian favorite, delivers tangy, citrusy flavors with minimal effort.

Prep Time 10 mins (plus 30 mins marinating)
Cook Time 50 mins
Total Time 1 hr (excluding marinating)
Servings 4-6

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient Preparation
2 lbs Bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks –
3 tbsp Sumac –
3 tbsp Olive oil –
2 tbsp Lemon juice –
4 cloves Garlic Minced
2 Onions Sliced
2 tbsp Parsley Chopped
1 tsp Sea salt –

Instructions

  1. Marinate chicken with sumac, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and salt for 30 minutes.
  2. Arrange chicken with onions in a baking dish.
  3. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 45-50 minutes until 165°F (75°C).
  4. Garnish with parsley and serve with flatbread or salad.

Chicken Kabsa

Chicken Kabsa, a Saudi Arabian classic, combines aromatic rice and spiced chicken.

Prep Time 15 mins (plus 30 mins marinating)
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 50 mins (excluding marinating)
Servings 4-6

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient Preparation
2 lbs Chicken thighs or drumsticks –
2 cups Basmati rice Rinsed, soaked for 30 mins
1 Onion Sliced
2 cloves Garlic Minced
1 tsp Ginger –
2 Tomatoes Diced
4 cups Chicken broth –
1 tsp Cumin –
1 tsp Coriander –
1 tsp Black lime (loomi) –
1 tsp Cardamom –
1/2 tsp Cinnamon –
1/4 tsp Cloves –
Pinch Saffron –
2 tbsp Olive oil –
1 tsp Salt –

Instructions

  1. Marinate chicken with cumin, coriander, black lime, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, saffron, olive oil, and salt for 30 minutes.
  2. Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, and tomatoes in olive oil, add broth, and cook rice for 20 minutes until fluffy.
  3. Bake or grill chicken until 165°F (75°C).
  4. Serve chicken over rice with yogurt or salad.

Chicken Kofta

Chicken Kofta, a versatile Middle Eastern dish, offers juicy meatballs with bold spices.

Prep Time 15 mins (plus 30 mins chilling)
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 40 mins (excluding chilling)
Servings 4

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient Preparation
1 lb Ground chicken –
1/2 cup Onions Finely chopped
2 cloves Garlic Minced
2 tbsp Parsley Chopped
1 tsp Cumin –
1 tsp Coriander –
1 tsp Paprika –
1 Egg –
1/4 cup Breadcrumbs –
1/2 cup Yogurt For mango-yogurt sauce
1/4 cup Mango puree For mango-yogurt sauce
1 tsp Lemon juice For mango-yogurt sauce

Instructions

  1. Mix ground chicken, onions, garlic, parsley, cumin, coriander, paprika, egg, and breadcrumbs; shape into 12-16 balls and chill for 30 minutes.
  2. Grill for 10-12 minutes, bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes, or fry in olive oil for 6-8 minutes until 165°F (75°C).
  3. Mix yogurt, mango puree, and lemon juice for sauce.
  4. Serve with tahini or mango-yogurt sauce.

Chicken Maqluba

Chicken Maqluba, a Palestinian upside-down dish, layers rice, vegetables, and chicken.

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Servings 4-6

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient Preparation
2 lbs Chicken thighs or drumsticks –
1 tsp Turmeric –
1 tsp Cumin –
1 tsp Cinnamon –
1 tsp Sea salt –
1 Eggplant Sliced
2 Tomatoes Sliced
2 Potatoes Sliced
2 cups Basmati rice Soaked
4 cups Chicken broth –
2 tbsp Parsley Chopped

Instructions

  1. Marinate chicken with turmeric, cumin, cinnamon, and salt.
  2. Brown chicken, then layer in a pot with eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes, rice, and broth.
  3. Cook on low for 45 minutes until rice is tender.
  4. Rest for 10 minutes, flip onto a platter, garnish with parsley, and serve with yogurt or salad.

Chicken Musakhan

Chicken Musakhan, a Palestinian classic, combines sumac-spiced chicken with flatbread.

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Servings 4-6

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient Preparation
2 lbs Bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks –
3 tbsp Sumac –
1 tsp Sea salt –
1/4 cup Olive oil –
4 Onions Sliced
1/4 cup Pine nuts Toasted
– Taboon or flatbread Warmed

Instructions

  1. Season chicken with sumac, salt, and olive oil.
  2. Caramelize onions in olive oil for 20 minutes, add sumac and pine nuts.
    3. – Tofu or vegetables (e.g., eggplant) Vegetarian option, cubed or sliced
  3. Spread onions over flatbread, top with chicken, and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes.
  4. Serve with a side salad.

Chicken Mansaf

Chicken Mansaf, Jordan’s national dish, features a rich yogurt sauce over flatbread.

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 1 hr
Servings 4-6

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient Preparation
2 lbs Chicken (boiled or roasted) –
2 cups Greek yogurt or Jameed Soaked if using Jameed
1 cup Water –
1 tsp Sea salt –
1/4 cup Pine nuts Toasted
2 tbsp Parsley Chopped
– Flatbread –

Instructions

  1. Blend yogurt or Jameed with water and salt until smooth, heat gently.
  2. Layer flatbread, pour half the yogurt sauce, add chicken, then top with remaining sauce.
    3. – Tofu or vegetables (e.g., zucchini) Vegetarian option, cubed or sliced
  3. Garnish with pine nuts and parsley, serve with rice or flatbread.

Chicken Fatteh

Chicken Fatteh, a Levantine layered dish, combines textures and flavors.

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 35 mins
Servings 4-6

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient Preparation
2 Pita breads Toasted, broken into pieces
2 lbs Chicken Shredded
1 cup Cooked chickpeas –
2 cups Yogurt For sauce
2 cloves Garlic Minced, for sauce
1 tbsp Lemon juice For sauce
1/4 cup Pine nuts Toasted
2 tbsp Parsley Chopped
1 tsp Sumac –
2 tbsp Olive oil –

Instructions

  1. Toast pita breads until crisp, break into pieces.
    2. – Tofu or vegetables (e.g., roasted cauliflower) Vegetarian option, cubed or sliced
  2. Layer pita with shredded chicken, chickpeas, and yogurt sauce (yogurt, garlic, lemon juice).
  3. Top with pine nuts, parsley, sumac, and olive oil; serve immediately.

Chicken Mandi

Chicken Mandi, a Yemeni favorite, features smoky rice and spiced chicken.

Prep Time 15 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Servings 4-6

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient Preparation
2 lbs Chicken –
2 cups Basmati rice –
4 cups Chicken broth –
1 tsp Cardamom –
1 tsp Cloves –
1 tsp Cinnamon –
1/2 tsp Saffron –
1 tsp Oil For smoking

Instructions

  1. Cook rice with cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, saffron, and broth.
    2. – Tofu or vegetables (e.g., mushrooms) Vegetarian option, cubed or sliced
  2. Roast or grill chicken until 165°F (75°C).
  3. Place hot charcoal in a foil cup with oil, cover pot to trap smoke for 10 minutes.
  4. Serve chicken over rice with yogurt or salad.

Chicken Freekeh

Chicken Freekeh, a nutty Levantine dish, pairs chicken with roasted green wheat.

Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 40 mins
Total Time 50 mins
Servings 4

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient Preparation
2 lbs Chicken thighs or breasts –
1 cup Freekeh Rinsed
3 cups Chicken broth –
3 tbsp Olive oil –
2 tbsp Lemon juice –
1 tsp Cumin –
1 tsp Coriander –
1 tsp Paprika –
1 tsp Sea salt –

Instructions

  1. Marinate chicken with olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, paprika, and salt.
    2. – Tofu or vegetables (e.g., zucchini) Vegetarian option, cubed or sliced
  2. Brown chicken, set aside.
  3. Cook freekeh in broth for 25-30 minutes until tender.
  4. Combine chicken with freekeh, simmer for 10 minutes, and serve.

Chicken Harissa

Chicken Harissa, a fiery North African dish, brings bold spice to the table.

Prep Time 15 mins (plus 1 hr marinating)
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 50 mins (excluding marinating)
Servings 4

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient Preparation
2 lbs Chicken thighs –
1/2 cup Roasted red peppers –
2 tbsp Chili flakes –
2 cloves Garlic –
1 tsp Cumin –
1 tsp Coriander –
1 tsp Caraway –
3 tbsp Olive oil –
1/2 cup Yogurt For mango-yogurt sauce
1/4 cup Mango puree For mango-yogurt sauce
1 tsp Lemon juice For mango-yogurt sauce

Instructions

  1. Blend red peppers, chili flakes, garlic, cumin, coriander, caraway, and olive oil for harissa paste; marinate chicken for 1 hour.
    2. – Tofu or vegetables (e.g., eggplant) Vegetarian option, cubed or sliced
  2. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 30-35 minutes or grill for 8-10 minutes per side until 165°F (75°C).
  3. Mix yogurt, mango puree, and lemon juice for sauce.
  4. Serve with couscous, salad, or mango-yogurt sauce.

Watch a Middle Eastern Chicken Recipe Video

Conclusion

These top 10 Middle Eastern chicken recipes offer a flavorful journey through the Levant, Persia, and beyond, blending rich traditions with easy preparation. From Shish Tawook’s tangy skewers to Chicken Harissa’s fiery kick, each dish is perfect for family gatherings or weeknight dinners. Add a tropical mango-sumac drizzle and share your creations on social media with #MangoesPalmTrees! Explore more vibrant flavors in our Beef Kabsa, savor our vegetarian recipes, or take a fun break with our Personality Quiz Hub.

Frequently Asked Questions

Shawarma, Shish Tawook, Kabsa, Musakhan, and Harissa are flavorful, iconic dishes.

Cumin, coriander, turmeric, paprika, sumac, cardamom, cinnamon, and saffron are staples.

Yes, they use lean chicken, olive oil, vegetables, and antioxidant-rich spices for balanced nutrition.

At least 2 hours, ideally overnight, to maximize flavor and tenderness.

Hummus, tabbouleh, fattoush, pita bread, rice pilaf, or pickled vegetables complement well.

Beef Kabsa

A fragrant Saudi Arabian rice dish

View Recipe

Lebanese Chicken Shawarma

A bold Middle Eastern wrap

View Recipe

Vegetarian Fatteh

A layered Levantine dish with chickpeas

View Recipe

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