A classic Lebanese weeknight dinner recipe, hushwee rice is cooked in clarified butter and seasoned with cinnamon then topped with shredded chicken and toasted pine nuts.
My family gets together for Sunday dinner almost every week, either at my house, my sister’s house or my mom’s house. This Lebanese Hushwee Rice with Roasted Chicken is inspired by my mom who makes this Syrian comfort food dish for our family on a regular basis.
Hushwee is a meat mixture cooked in clarified butter and scented with cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice which I always have on hand thanks to my go-to All-Purpose Lebanese Spice Blend.
To stretch the meal even further, my mom often tops it with shredded roasted chicken. Some days it’s from a rotisserie chicken, other days it is homemade Lebanese Roasted Chicken. It really just depends on what she has on hand and how much time she has to cook.
Plain yogurt is our go-to condiment for topping the rice – either as is or turned into Cucumber Laban with dried mint, garlic and lemon juice. Serve it with a Lebanese Green Salad and dinner is done.
Your family is waiting.
Lebanese Hushwee Rice with Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 servings Lebanese Hushwee prepared
- 2 tablespoons clarified butter
- 1/4 cup vermicelli noodles broken in small pieces
- 1 cup long grain enriched rice parboiled rinsed
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup pine nuts toasted
- 12 ounces shredded cooked chicken breast such as rotisserie
- minced parsley to serve
- Cucumber Laban and pita bread to serve
Instructions
- Prepare the Lebanese Hushwee and set aside. While hushwee meat is browning, melt clarified butter in a deep skillet over medium heat. Add vermicelli noodles and toast until deep brown.
- Stir in rinsed rice and cook for 1-2 minutes to lightly toast the rice. Add reserved hushwee to the pan and stir to combine. Add chicken broth, salt and pepper to the pot and stir once. Bring to a boil then cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, leaving the lid on the entire time.
- Remove from heat and gently rice and meat with a fork. Top with shredded chicken meat (or fold it into the rice) then garnish with additional toasted pine nuts and fresh parsley. Serve with pita bread and Cucumber Laban .
Photography by Alejandro Photography // Recipe by The Lemon Bowl
I felt adventurous and took on this recipe for something totally different (p.s. I’m Italian). I LOVED the whole process and even made my own Ghee! I’m sure it’s not perfect but it’s perfect enough to me! YUM!
Oh that makes me so happy! So impressed you made your own ghee!! My aunt makes her own too!!
The best and delicious
one of my favorites of all time too! :)
Hi – i am going to try this does the hushwee need to be cooked or do you add raw meat?
You’ll want to cook the hushwee first! :) https://thelemonbowl.com/lebanese-hushwee-ground-beef-pine-nuts/
I think I found my new favorite blog! My family is Syrian too, and I love this rice. Can’t wait to make it!
Aww thank you so much Whitney!!! Let me know if you try this!! Don’t miss my other Syrian recipes: https://thelemonbowl.com/middle-eastern/
Oh mercy. This looks like the ultimate comfort food. I so love cinnamon in savoury dishes!
You would love this one my friend!!
This is amazing! I love the ethnic cuisine! Bring us more!
Awww thank you! More to come!
I made this last night and it was delicious! I still think I might run into you in our area someday.
Oh I’m so glad you tried it and liked it!!!!
This sounds so flavorful!
I hope you try it!!
Oh, how I love a good rice dish. Sounds awesome!
You’d love it friend!
I love learning about new cuisines – this sounds totally delicious! I have to admit I’m not that adventurous when it comes to cooking with spices like cinnamon, so I’d love to give this a try sometime. Thanks for sharing!
Aww thank you so much for reading. This is so comforting and really simple – I hope you try it!