Chicken Bukhari is a traditional Middle Eastern dish. It evolved from traditional Afghan Kabuli palaw, and adapted heavily in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia into roz Bukhari. The name “Bukhari” comes from “Bukhara” a historic city in modern-day Uzbekistan. Chicken Bukhari has a savory, mildly spiced, and smoky flavor profile. It features tender chicken paired with fluffy rice.
KIRUNA AUGUST 2026: Chicken Bukhari is a traditional Middle Eastern dish featuring spiced tomato rice, tender chicken, carrots, and raisins. Bukhari chicken, locally known as roz Bukhari or chicken Bukhari rice, is a famous aromatic Middle Eastern rice dish rooted in Afghan and Central Asian culinary traditions, deeply popular in Saudi Arabia. It evolved from traditional Afghan Kabuli palaw, brought over by immigrants and adapted heavily in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (especially the Hejaz region) into roz Bukhari.
The name “Bukhari” comes from “Bukhara” a historic city in modern-day Uzbekistan, and formerly prominent point on the Silk Road, which was the center of trade, culture and religion. The Bukhara Region was once a part of the Persian Empire.
This specific recipe comes from the YouTube channel: Our Yemeni Kitchen. If you love oriental food, this is the YouTube channel you should visit.
Chicken Bukhari Ingredients
- (500 grams) long grain basmati rice
- (100 grams) raisins
- One chicken (halved)
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
- Two onions (about 300 grams), chopped
- Two carrots (100 grams), chopped
- Two cups tomato paste
- Two tablespoons tomato paste (40 grams)
- One tablespoon salt
- One tablespoon cumin
- Four cups hot water
- (250 grams) chopped carrots (for frying)
- Three cups water (for cooking rice)
- Hot paprika (optional)
Bukhari Instructions
Step 1:
Wash the rice and soak it for 30 minutes. Soak the raisins in water for 10 minutes.
Step 2:
Fry the chicken in hot vegetable oil until golden brown, then remove and set aside.
Step 3:
Fry the onion in some of the oil used to fry the chicken until caramelized.
Step 4:
Add chopped carrots, tomato paste, tomato puree, salt and cumin. Add chicken and 4 dl hot water. Cover and cook for 30 minutes.
Step 5:
Fry the chopped carrots and raisins in a separate pan and set aside.
Step 6:
Remove the chicken. Add the soaked rice and 3 dl water. Cook until the water reduces. Put the chicken back on top, add the fried carrots and raisins and optional peppers. Cover the pot and cook on low for 25 minutes.
Step 7:
Remove the chicken, carrots and raisins. Flatten the rice and arrange the chicken, carrots and raisins on top.
Step 8:
Serve and enjoy!
“Kabuli” may be a misspelling of “Qabili”, which comes from Persian قابل. The name “Qabili” appears to have been applied early on to a complex pilaf dish in Persian-language contexts, with the first written Qabili pilaf recipes appearing during the Safavid period in Ali Bavarchi’s 1521 manuscript Kār-nāma (“The Manual”). This work currently constitutes the oldest cookbook in Persian.
