Chicken Kolbasti (Fork-Tender Chicken in Velvety Onion Sauce)
Chicken Kolbasti is a traditional Egyptian chicken dish with likely Turkish roots. Chicken pieces are marinated in a fragrant blend of pureed onions, garlic, warm spices, lemon, and vinegar, then gently braised until meltingly tender in a rich, velvety onion sauce. Serve it with vermicelli rice, warm pita bread, and Egyptian salad for a comforting family meal.
Course: Dinner, Lunch
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Equipment
- Large cast-iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
Ingredients
Dry Brine
- Dry Brine
- 1 Spatchcocked chicken
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Zest of 1 lemon
Onion Marinade
- 2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 2 tablespoon Egyptian chicken Baharat, recipe follows
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup hot water, plus more if needed during cooking
Egyptian Chicken Baharat
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅓ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Dry Brine the Chicken: Combine the salt, pepper, and lemon zest. Rub the mixture all over the chicken pieces and refrigerate for 3 hours. Before marinating, pat the chicken dry with paper towels and remove any excess salt and pepper.
- Make the Marinade: Place the onions, garlic, olive oil, tomato, lemon juice, vinegar, baharat, bay leaves, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Blend until the onions become a smooth, watery puree. Pour the marinade over the chicken, making sure every piece is thoroughly coated, including under the skin whenever possible. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
- Cook the Chicken: Transfer the marinated chicken to a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. On medium-high heat Sear the chicken all sides until golden and the skin is crispy. Transfer the chicken to plate. Cook the onion marinade until it becomes fragrant. Place the chicken back with the onions. Add the water or the broth. Cover with the lid and cook for 60 mins on very low heat or until the chicken is fork tender and the onions have collapsed into a silky deep amber gravy. If the sauce begins to dry out, add a few tablespoons of hot water as needed.
- Broil: uncover the Dutch oven and place it under the broil for 5 minutes or until the chicken becomes golden.
- Serve: Arrange the chicken on a large serving platter and spoon the rich onion sauce over or alongside the chicken. Serve it with Egyptian vermicelli rice, Egyptian bread and a salad.
Nermine's Notes
Dry brining is optional but helps season the chicken deeply while improving texture.
The sauce should remain thick, silky, and spoonable—not watery.
Yellow onions create the sweetest, richest sauce, though red onions may also be used.
The dish tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to develop.
Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
I would also make one culinary improvement based on your testing: don't instruct readers to rinse the chicken after dry brining. Modern food science (including Serious Eats) recommends simply brushing off any excess salt and patting the chicken dry. Rinsing removes seasoning and increases the risk of cross-contamination. Since this recipe is intended for publication, I'd revise that step accordingly. It will also align with current best practices used by major food publications.
I agree, change it accordingly
I agree. For a recipe you're publishing professionally, it's better to follow modern food science and avoid rinsing poultry after dry brining. Here's the revised version of those steps.
1. Dry Brine the Chicken (Optional)
In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, black pepper, and lemon zest. Rub the mixture evenly all over the chicken, including under the skin whenever possible.
Place the chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or in a shallow dish and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 3 hours or up to overnight. Before marinating, gently brush off any excess salt and pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Do not rinse the chicken, as rinsing removes seasoning and can spread bacteria around your sink.
The sauce should remain thick, silky, and spoonable—not watery.
Yellow onions create the sweetest, richest sauce, though red onions may also be used.
The dish tastes even better the next day after the flavors have had time to develop.
Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months.
I would also make one culinary improvement based on your testing: don't instruct readers to rinse the chicken after dry brining. Modern food science (including Serious Eats) recommends simply brushing off any excess salt and patting the chicken dry. Rinsing removes seasoning and increases the risk of cross-contamination. Since this recipe is intended for publication, I'd revise that step accordingly. It will also align with current best practices used by major food publications.
I agree, change it accordingly
I agree. For a recipe you're publishing professionally, it's better to follow modern food science and avoid rinsing poultry after dry brining. Here's the revised version of those steps.
1. Dry Brine the Chicken (Optional)
In a small bowl, combine the kosher salt, black pepper, and lemon zest. Rub the mixture evenly all over the chicken, including under the skin whenever possible.
Place the chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or in a shallow dish and refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 3 hours or up to overnight. Before marinating, gently brush off any excess salt and pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Do not rinse the chicken, as rinsing removes seasoning and can spread bacteria around your sink.