Bánh chuối nướng with coconut shreds, Vietnamese banana cake, golden brown and sweet Vietnamese Baked Banana Cake with Coconut (Bánh Chuối Nướng) Maqluba with chicken – layered rice, fried vegetables and chicken inverted Upside-Down Chicken & Rice Cake (Maqluba) Corn Gyoza with crispy bottoms Sweet Corn & Pork Gyoza Freshly baked cinnamon honey almond bagels Cinnamon Honey Almond Bagels Pickled bell peppers in a jar Pickled Bell Peppers (Mixed Colors) Yuba and tomato cabbage in a skillet Stir-Fried Cabbage & Yuba (Tofu Skin) in Tomato Sauce Golden brown Carimañola stuffed with ground beef Carimañola (Colombian Stuffed Yuca Fritters) Pkhali with carrots, served with walnuts and fresh cilantro Georgian Carrot & Walnut Spread (Pkhali) Nutella Bao Bun served Steamed Nutella Bao Buns Nutella Scones Nutella Swirl Scones Torta Capixaba pie with hearts of palm and fish, fresh out of the oven Brazilian Fish and Hearts of Palm Pie (Torta Capixaba) Oden with tomato, Japanese soup with fish, tofu, boiled egg, and fresh tomato Tomato Oden Pot Bowl of Tofu Korma with golden fried tofu Tofu Korma (Vegan Coconut Curry) Probiotic green tea kombucha in a bottle, carbonated light-colored drink Green Tea Kombucha (Jun Style) Pizza al Tonno e Cipolla with tuna and red onion Tuna and Red Onion Pizza Vegan Nasi Lemak served with coconut rice and fresh vegetables Vegan Nasi Lemak (Coconut Rice) Saffron Rasmalai with Pistachios Saffron and Pistachio Rasmalai Coxinha served with creamy garlic sauce Brazilian Coxinha with Creamy Garlic Sauce Roasted Brussels sprouts bao bun served Charred Brussels Sprouts Bao Buns Spicy pickled artichokes in a jar Spicy Pickled Artichoke Hearts Bánh chuối nướng with coconut shreds, Vietnamese banana cake, golden brown and sweet Vietnamese Baked Banana Cake with Coconut (Bánh Chuối Nướng) Maqluba with chicken – layered rice, fried vegetables and chicken inverted Upside-Down Chicken & Rice Cake (Maqluba) Corn Gyoza with crispy bottoms Sweet Corn & Pork Gyoza Freshly baked cinnamon honey almond bagels Cinnamon Honey Almond Bagels Pickled bell peppers in a jar Pickled Bell Peppers (Mixed Colors) Yuba and tomato cabbage in a skillet Stir-Fried Cabbage & Yuba (Tofu Skin) in Tomato Sauce Golden brown Carimañola stuffed with ground beef Carimañola (Colombian Stuffed Yuca Fritters) Pkhali with carrots, served with walnuts and fresh cilantro Georgian Carrot & Walnut Spread (Pkhali) Nutella Bao Bun served Steamed Nutella Bao Buns Nutella Scones Nutella Swirl Scones Torta Capixaba pie with hearts of palm and fish, fresh out of the oven Brazilian Fish and Hearts of Palm Pie (Torta Capixaba) Oden with tomato, Japanese soup with fish, tofu, boiled egg, and fresh tomato Tomato Oden Pot Bowl of Tofu Korma with golden fried tofu Tofu Korma (Vegan Coconut Curry) Probiotic green tea kombucha in a bottle, carbonated light-colored drink Green Tea Kombucha (Jun Style) Pizza al Tonno e Cipolla with tuna and red onion Tuna and Red Onion Pizza Vegan Nasi Lemak served with coconut rice and fresh vegetables Vegan Nasi Lemak (Coconut Rice) Saffron Rasmalai with Pistachios Saffron and Pistachio Rasmalai Coxinha served with creamy garlic sauce Brazilian Coxinha with Creamy Garlic Sauce Roasted Brussels sprouts bao bun served Charred Brussels Sprouts Bao Buns Spicy pickled artichokes in a jar Spicy Pickled Artichoke Hearts
Maqluba with chicken – layered rice, fried vegetables and chicken inverted
Middle Eastern upside down rice with chicken and eggplant

Upside-Down Chicken & Rice Cake (Maqluba)

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
Maqluba means 'upside-down'. It's culinary theater: layered rice, vegetables, and meat are flipped onto a platter like a cake. Eggplant and cauliflower are fried to caramelize, while rice absorbs the spiced chicken broth. A spectacular centerpiece.
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 30 mins
⌛ Total Time 1 hr 10 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 720 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Middle Eastern

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Deep non-stick pot
  • Large platter
  • Frying pan

Instructions

1 ✓

Soak rice 20 mins. Slice/prep veggies.

Tip: Salt eggplant to reduce oil absorption.
2 ✓

Fry eggplant, potatoes, cauliflower until golden. Drain.

Tip: Browning adds flavor.
3 ✓

Cube chicken. Sauté with onion and spices.

Tip: Cook spices.
4 ✓

Layer: Chicken at bottom, then veggies, then rice. Press down.

Tip: Tight packing helps structure.
5 ✓

Pour salted water over gently.

Tip: Use a spoon to diffuse flow.
6 ✓

Cover, boil, simmer low 25-30 mins.

Tip: Don't touch lid.
7 ✓

Rest 15 mins. Invert onto platter.

Tip: Resting binds grains.

Recipe FAQ

Collapsed?
Didn't rest long enough or pot wasn't non-stick. Still tastes great!
Veggie swaps?
Carrots, potatoes, chickpeas work well.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Chicken Thighs or Breasts
  • 1 1/2 cups Basmati Rice
  • 1 medium Eggplant (sliced)
  • 2 cups Cauliflower Florets
  • 2 medium Potatoes (sliced)
  • 1 medium Onion
  • 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Allspice
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
  • 2 1/2 cups Water or Broth