Across the Jewish diaspora, Shabbat meals often include a dish that simmers low and slow—rich with flavor, memory, and meaning. From cholent in Eastern Europe to hamin in North Africa and the Levant, every community has its own version of a dish that’s cooked before sundown and kept warm through the day of rest.
For Iraqi Jews, that dish is Tabeet (or Te’beet)—a savory, spiced chicken and rice stew that cooks overnight until the flavors deepen and the texture turns meltingly tender. The word tabeet comes from the Arabic root meaning “to stuff,” and traditionally, a whole chicken is stuffed with seasoned rice before being slow-cooked alongside more rice, broth, and spices. It’s a dish of generosity and depth—both literal and symbolic.
Growing up in Seattle, in a Jewish community where Iraqi food wasn’t widely known, my family’s Tabeet often sparked curiosity and amazement. My mom would make it not just for Shabbat, but for meal trains—when someone had a baby, experienced a loss, or simply needed comfort. People would always ask, “What is this?“—blown away by the aroma, the richness, and the surprising textures from the slow-cooked rice and fall-apart chicken.
This version stays true to tradition, with a few personal touches: I use extra chicken thighs for more flavor, and add chickpeas for an extra creamy, earthy bite. Whether you’ve known Tabeet your whole life or are just discovering it now, I hope this recipe brings warmth, history, and a sense of connection to your Shabbat table—or any table.
Iraqi Jewish Tabeet (Shabbat Chicken and Rice) with Chickpeas – Slow-Cooked Overnight
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade
- 3.5 lb Chicken skin on and cleaned well
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or any neutral oil
Rice and Assembly
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 2 large onions diced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp cardamom fresh ground is best
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp chicken consume
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 15 oz can diced tomatoes fresh tomatoes work well too
- 15oz can chickpeas rinsed and drained
- 3 lbs chicken thighs boneless, skinless and cut into 1.5 inch cubes
Instructions
- Dry your chicken with paper towels. Mix together spices and avocado oil for chicken marinade and rub all over chicken. Make sure to get under the skin and behind the legs. Careful not to tear the skin. Set in the fridge for at least an hour to absorb the flavors and allow salt to penetrate the meat. Meanwhile, prepare the rest of your ingredients.
- Wash basmati rice and set aside to drain well. In a small bowl, reserve 1 tbsp of the rice and mix in large pinches of salt, cardamom, cinnamon, a few grinds of black pepper, a spoonful of diced tomatoes and about a tablespoon of chicken thighs, finely diced. This will get stuffed into the cavity of the chicken and become the highly coveted part once cooked. For now, set it aside.
- In a large 9.5-quart dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp avocado oil over medium heat. Add whole chicken and let cook about 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Reduce heat to low and add onions to the pot and allow to soften, about 15 minutes. Add in tomato paste and let cook for 3 minutes, until color has darkened. Add in all of the spices and consume and use a spatula to mix well. Pour in 1 cup tomato sauce and the can of diced tomatoes. Mix in 3 lbs cubed thicken thighs and drained chickpeas. Pour in 1 cup of water.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Stuff reserved rice into chicken cavity and nestle the chicken back into the pot with the tabeet mixture. Cover the pot and place in the oven set on 200° Shabbat mode and cook for 20 hours.
- Alternatively, this dish can be made in a slow cooker and cooked on low for 20 hours.