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Golden-brown whole chicken on white rice beside a brown bowl of dark-green Egyptian molokhia

Photo: Habib Mhenni / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0

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Egyptian Molokhia with Golden Chicken & Rice

Silky chopped jute leaves simmer in freshly made chicken broth with a sizzling garlic-coriander finish, served beside fluffy vermicelli rice and the same deeply browned whole chicken shown in the finished-dish photograph.

Developed for DishGal · Updated 2026-11-08

Family FavoritesEasy Chicken Recipes
Prep30 min
Cook80 min
Total125 min
Cost$3.10

Directions

  1. Set up the chicken safely

    Heat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper third. Do not rinse the chicken. Put it breast-side up in a heavy 8-quart stockpot with the cold water, onion, cardamom, bay leaves and 1 tablespoon salt. The water should just cover the chicken; add only enough extra water to submerge any exposed breast meat. Wash your hands and sanitize every surface touched by raw poultry before continuing.

  2. Poach the chicken and build the broth

    Bring the pot just to a simmer over medium-high, skimming the gray foam that rises. Reduce to low, partially cover and maintain a quiet simmer—small bubbles, never a rolling boil—for 40 minutes. Begin checking with a clean instant-read thermometer: insert it into the deepest breast and the innermost thigh without touching bone. Continue in 5-minute increments until both places reach at least 165°F, usually 45 to 55 minutes total at a simmer.

  3. Strain and measure the broth

    Lift the chicken onto a rimmed roasting pan and blot the skin very dry. Rest it 10 minutes while you pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl; discard the onion, cardamom and bay. Measure 7 cups broth. If evaporation leaves you short, add hot water only to reach 7 cups. Keep 4 cups hot for the molokhia and reserve 3 cups for the rice.

  4. Brown the whole chicken

    Melt 1 tablespoon ghee and stir in the 1/2 teaspoon coriander and black pepper. Brush it over the chicken, including the legs and wings. Roast at 450°F for 12 to 16 minutes, until the skin is evenly golden-brown like the photographed dish. Recheck the breast and thigh; both must remain at or above 165°F. Rest the browned chicken 15 minutes before carving so its juices settle.

  5. Cook the vermicelli rice

    While the chicken browns, melt 2 tablespoons ghee in a 3-quart saucepan over medium. Add the broken vermicelli and stir for 2 to 3 minutes until evenly golden. Add the drained rice and stir 1 minute. Pour in the reserved 3 cups broth and add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to the lowest heat and cook 16 minutes. Remove from the heat and rest, still covered, 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.

  6. Warm the molokhia gently

    Bring the reserved 4 cups broth to a gentle simmer in a 4-quart saucepan. Whisk in the thawed molokhia a handful at a time until smooth, then add 1 teaspoon salt. Cook over low for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until steaming and cohesive. Keep it below a rolling boil; hard boiling dulls the green color and can make the leaves separate from the broth.

  7. Make the garlic-coriander ta'leya

    Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons ghee in a small skillet over medium-low. Add the garlic and 2 teaspoons coriander; cook, stirring constantly, for 60 to 90 seconds until fragrant and pale gold, not brown. Scrape the sizzling mixture into the molokhia, stir for 2 minutes over low heat and remove from the burner. Taste once the garlic is distributed and add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt only if needed.

  8. Serve the three components distinctly

    Mound the vermicelli rice on a warm platter and arrange the whole browned chicken over it for the photographed presentation, or carve first for easier serving. Ladle the dark-green molokhia into a separate warm bowl. Give each person rice, chicken and molokhia with lemon wedges, letting diners spoon the soup over the rice or eat it alongside. Do not leave the meal at room temperature longer than 2 hours total.

Why this works

Why it worksQuietly poaching a whole chicken creates the clean, full-bodied broth that flavors both the molokhia and rice without relying on bouillon.
Why it worksDrying the cooked chicken before a short 450°F roast turns its pale poached skin deeply golden while the already-safe meat stays moist.
Why it worksToasting the vermicelli in ghee before adding rice develops a nutty flavor and keeps the short noodles visibly distinct among the grains.
Why it worksLow heat preserves molokhia's vivid green color and characteristic silky body; a rolling boil can make the chopped leaves separate from the broth.
Why it worksBlooming garlic and coriander separately in hot fat—the ta'leya—extracts their aroma quickly, then carries it evenly through the finished soup.

Useful kitchen gear

Tools that make this easier.

Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.

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Compare on AmazonHeavy 8-quart stockpotA roomy heavy pot keeps the whole chicken submerged at a quiet simmer while producing enough clear broth for both the molokhia and rice.See current options → Compare on AmazonLarge fine-mesh strainerStraining the poaching broth removes the onion, cardamom and surface particles before the broth is divided between the green soup and vermicelli rice.See current options → Compare on AmazonThin-probe instant-read thermometerA slim probe verifies the deepest breast and innermost thigh both reach 165°F before the chicken is browned and carved.See current options →

Swaps & notes

Easy swaps

  • Use six bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 3 lb) instead of a whole chicken. Simmer until each reaches 165°F, generally 25 to 35 minutes, then brown skin-side up for 8 to 12 minutes.
  • Replace ghee with unsalted butter or a neutral oil. Butter gives the closest rich flavor; neutral oil keeps the recipe dairy-free.
  • For plain rice, omit the vermicelli and increase the rice to 2 1/2 cups; keep the 3 cups broth and check the package timing for the chosen medium-grain rice.
  • Frozen chopped molokhia is essential to the dish's flavor and texture. Spinach can make a green soup, but it will not taste or thicken like molokhia and should be treated as a different recipe.
  • For a faster version, use 7 cups low-sodium chicken broth and a fully cooked rotisserie chicken. Heat the carved chicken to 165°F, but understand that the finished broth will be less integrated than the whole-chicken method.

Cook notes

  • Molokhia—also spelled molokheya or mulukhiyah—is finely chopped jute mallow. Frozen Egyptian-style chopped leaves are the most practical consistent option in U.S. groceries and Middle Eastern markets.
  • The finished dish is intentionally presented as three coordinated components. The licensed photograph was visually verified to show a golden whole chicken over white rice beside a separate brown bowl of dark-green molokhia; this recipe and alt text match those visible details.
  • USDA guidance sets 165°F as the safe minimum internal temperature for all poultry. Check both the deepest breast and innermost thigh without touching bone, using a clean probe each time.
  • Do not wash raw chicken. It does not remove pathogens and can spread contaminated droplets around the sink; controlled cooking and surface sanitation are the safety steps that matter.
  • Calories and cost estimate one-sixth of the chicken, rice, molokhia and cooking fat. Exact values vary with edible chicken yield, local molokhia pricing and how much rice each person serves.

Storage

Separate the chicken, rice and molokhia into shallow containers within 2 hours and refrigerate at 40°F or below for up to 4 days. Reheat only the portions needed: cover the chicken and rice with a spoonful of broth and warm at 325°F until the chicken reaches 165°F, while warming molokhia gently on the stove without a rolling boil. Freeze chicken and molokhia separately for up to 2 months; freeze rice for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The soup may look slightly separated after freezing, but gentle whisking as it reheats restores its body.

Questions

Why did my molokhia become stringy or separate from the broth?

It was probably boiled hard or cooked too long. Thaw the chopped leaves, whisk them into gently simmering broth and keep the pot below a rolling boil. If it separates, remove it from the heat and whisk slowly; the texture usually comes back together even if the color is slightly duller.

Can I make Egyptian molokhia a day ahead?

Yes. Make all three components, cool them promptly and refrigerate separately. The chicken and broth actually benefit from a night of rest. Reheat the soup gently, warm chicken and rice covered with a splash of broth, and confirm the chicken reaches 165°F before serving.

What does molokhia taste like, and is its texture supposed to be silky?

The leaves taste earthy and green, somewhere between tender greens and a mild herbal tea, while garlic and coriander dominate the aroma. Their natural soluble fiber gives the broth a silky, lightly viscous body. That texture is characteristic, not a sign that the soup is undercooked.

Egyptian menu guide by meal role

Build an Egyptian menu from green soup to street-food bowl and syrup cake

Compare chicken-broth molokhia with browned whole chicken and vermicelli rice, pantry-driven vegan koshari with crisp onions and garlic vinegar, and syrup-soaked basbousa by meal role, core starch, active work, serving temperature and make-ahead strategy.

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Egyptian Molokhia with Golden Chicken & Rice
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1. Set up the chicken safelyHeat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the upper third. Do not rinse the chicken. Put it breast-side up in a heavy 8-quart stockpot with the cold water, onion, cardamom, bay leaves and 1 tablespoon salt. The water should just cover the chicken; add only enough extra water to submerge any exposed breast meat. Wash your hands and sanitize every surface touched by raw poultry before continuing.
2. Poach the chicken and build the brothBring the pot just to a simmer over medium-high, skimming the gray foam that rises. Reduce to low, partially cover and maintain a quiet simmer—small bubbles, never a rolling boil—for 40 minutes. Begin checking with a clean instant-read thermometer: insert it into the deepest breast and the innermost thigh without touching bone. Continue in 5-minute increments until both places reach at least 165°F, usually 45 to 55 minutes total at a simmer.
3. Strain and measure the brothLift the chicken onto a rimmed roasting pan and blot the skin very dry. Rest it 10 minutes while you pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl; discard the onion, cardamom and bay. Measure 7 cups broth. If evaporation leaves you short, add hot water only to reach 7 cups. Keep 4 cups hot for the molokhia and reserve 3 cups for the rice.
4. Brown the whole chickenMelt 1 tablespoon ghee and stir in the 1/2 teaspoon coriander and black pepper. Brush it over the chicken, including the legs and wings. Roast at 450°F for 12 to 16 minutes, until the skin is evenly golden-brown like the photographed dish. Recheck the breast and thigh; both must remain at or above 165°F. Rest the browned chicken 15 minutes before carving so its juices settle.
5. Cook the vermicelli riceWhile the chicken browns, melt 2 tablespoons ghee in a 3-quart saucepan over medium. Add the broken vermicelli and stir for 2 to 3 minutes until evenly golden. Add the drained rice and stir 1 minute. Pour in the reserved 3 cups broth and add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to the lowest heat and cook 16 minutes. Remove from the heat and rest, still covered, 10 minutes before fluffing with a fork.
6. Warm the molokhia gentlyBring the reserved 4 cups broth to a gentle simmer in a 4-quart saucepan. Whisk in the thawed molokhia a handful at a time until smooth, then add 1 teaspoon salt. Cook over low for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until steaming and cohesive. Keep it below a rolling boil; hard boiling dulls the green color and can make the leaves separate from the broth.
7. Make the garlic-coriander ta'leyaMelt the remaining 2 tablespoons ghee in a small skillet over medium-low. Add the garlic and 2 teaspoons coriander; cook, stirring constantly, for 60 to 90 seconds until fragrant and pale gold, not brown. Scrape the sizzling mixture into the molokhia, stir for 2 minutes over low heat and remove from the burner. Taste once the garlic is distributed and add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt only if needed.
8. Serve the three components distinctlyMound the vermicelli rice on a warm platter and arrange the whole browned chicken over it for the photographed presentation, or carve first for easier serving. Ladle the dark-green molokhia into a separate warm bowl. Give each person rice, chicken and molokhia with lemon wedges, letting diners spoon the soup over the rice or eat it alongside. Do not leave the meal at room temperature longer than 2 hours total.