Imbakbaka - Libyan Chicken Pasta Dish
You’ll love this delicious Libyan pasta and chicken dish flavored with a classic Libyan spice blend and cooked in a tasty tomato broth.
Servings: 6
Calories: 881kcal
Ingredients
- 4 lb. chicken cut into 8 pieces
- 1/2-1 lb. pasta cooked al dente and drained
- 3 tbsp canola oil or other flavorless oil
- 1 yellow onion diced or sliced into half moons
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 3 oz. tomato paste
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp corriander powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cumin
- 1 pinch ground cloves
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 pinch cinnamon
- 1 pinch ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1-2 tsp salt
- 3 jalapeños sliced in half lengthwise
Instructions
- Bring 5 cups of water to boil in a kettle.
- Sautee the onion in 3 tablespoons of canola oil over medium-high heat until translucent.
- Add the chicken, season with all the spices including salt and pepper, and brown on all sides.
- Add 5 minced garlic cloves, 3 ounces of tomato paste, 3 jalapeños sliced lengthwise, and 5 cups of boiling water or hot broth/stock. The chicken should be covered, so add more if necessary.
- Raise the heat to high, bring to boil, reduce to simmer, and cook for 25-40 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- Bring back to a boil and the cooked and drained pasta. Cook for 3 minutes and serve.
Video
Notes
Do not boil the chicken, just simmer it. If you boil the chicken, it will be tough. Simmering it on low will yield a tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken.
You can cook the pasta in the dish, but you will need to add up to 8 cups of water/stock instead of 5. I cook the noodles separately as a personal preference. The noodles will soak up all the liquid overnight, and I prefer the leftovers when the noodles are added just before serving.
If using par-boiled noodles, you can add them just before serving. They will take an extra minute or two to cook in the broth than they would in water.
You could use any cut of chicken like thighs, breasts, or legs, whichever you prefer. I like to use a whole chicken as it's the most economic and sustainable way to have plenty of food plus great leftovers!
Traditionally, the right pasta to use are small pieces that you can get by breaking up spaghetti pasta with your hands into two-inch sections. I’ve chosen to use a small pasta variety, ditalini, but in the past have used other types like pasta shells.
Nutrition
Calories: 881kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 62g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 23g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 227mg | Sodium: 716mg | Potassium: 874mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 942IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 4mg
