My Grandma’s Chicken Buried in Vermicelli

I was about 13 or 14 years old the last time I ate chicken vermicelli. Since food blogging has become my passion and creative outlet, it only made sense to try one of my grandma’s delicious dishes! This simple yet appetizing dish is an homage to my memories with Grandma, who taught me how much flavor can come from the simplest things in life. She taught me to enjoy each moment while they lasted, and our memories together became more precious than ever.

Although I didn’t have a recipe and was missing two main authentic ingredients that could only be found in Jordan, I still tried to replicate it the best I could. I wanted to be able to capture her warm personality and ability to nurture everyone around her through her food. 

I found some hewaja spice sold in the Middle Eastern market, which I will use for this recipe. But of course, it will never be the same as my grandmother’s homemade spices. The other difference is that my grandmother boiled the chicken and made the broth herself. She then used the broth as a sauce to cook the vermicelli with the chicken. I sauté the onions, add the chicken with all the spices, then add water and create a broth that I used to finish making the dish. You will also need to toast the vermicelli by itself in a separate pan with a bit of ghee and olive oil until golden brown but not dark brown. 

Once this dish is complete, you will have a beautiful, Middle Eastern meal that will keep you full and happy all night! This extravagant platter of chicken vermicelli would make for an excellent dinner party meal. 

What Ingredients Will You Need For Chicken Buried in Vermicelli? 

The ingredients are simple. All you need is chicken, vermicelli noodles, onions, and a mix of spices like cinnamon turmeric, Aleppo peppers, and cumin. All of which you could find in your pantry. Vermicelli noodles are skinny noodles that can be easily found in any grocery store. You will also need the unique spice called hewajeh. My grandmother used to make it herself. It was a blend of different spices and herbs she would pick. She would then dry the spice and herbs, toast them, and create her spice mix. This spice is mainly used to flavor Baladi, which translates to ghee, except it’s made from sheep milk instead of cow milk! You can check my blog on how to make homemade butter and ghee here.

How Long Should You Cook the Vermicelli Noodles? 

When sautéing the vermicelli noodles in the saucepan, they should cook for about 5 to 10 minutes. You will want to continuously stir the noodles, so they toast evenly. Make sure to keep a close eye on the color of the vermicelli noodles, as they can quickly burn. If they get too dark, they will have a bitter flavor that can alter the taste of the whole dish. 

What Cookware is Needed For This Recipe?

This dish is relatively simple to make, and you only need a few pieces of cookware. When making chicken buried in Vermicelli rice, you will need a saucepan to toast the vermicelli noodles and a cast iron casserole for the chicken. You will also want to cook this dish in a flat baking dish, like a cast iron casserole dish, instead of a pot. That way, you will have a better distribution of the chicken pieces and the vermicelli. 

What Part of the Chicken Should You Use?

You can essentially use whatever part of the chicken you like. You can use thighs or drumsticks for fattier pieces of meat or use breasts for a healthier meal. Regardless of the part of the chicken, you decide to use; you should be mindful of the varying cooking times. You should also make sure the chicken doesn’t overcook because you don’t want the chicken to dry out.