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Iraqi Jewish Tabeet (Shabbat Chicken and Rice) with Chickpeas – Slow-Cooked Overnight

Discover the rich flavors of Tabeet, a traditional Iraqi Jewish dish slow-cooked overnight for Shabbat. This comforting one-pot meal features tender chicken thighs, fragrant basmati rice, warm spices, and a modern twist of creamy chickpeas for extra depth and protein. Passed down through generations and perfected in every family, this version balances authenticity with personal flair. Set it up before sundown and wake up to a perfectly cooked, golden-crusted meal that fills your home with the aromas of tradition and home-cooked love.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Iraqi, Jewish, middle eastern, Sephardic
Servings 12

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.
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