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0 from 9 votes

Chicken Pulao

Chicken Pulao is a delicious one-pot meal made with fragrant Basmati rice, tender chicken pieces, and aromatic spices. It's a flavorful, satisfying weeknight meal that can be made in just 30 minutes.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 453 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken bone-in, cut into pieces
  • 1 cup basmati rice washed and soaked for 20 minutes
  • 2 tablespoon oil
  • 1 tablespoon ghee
  • 1 onion thinly sliced, about 170 grams
  • 1/2 tablespoon ginger freshly grated or finely chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon garlic minced
  • 1-2 green chili pepper
  • 1 tomato small, chopped
  • 2 tablespoon mint leaves chopped, optional
  • 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • 2 tablespoon PLAIN yogurt I used full-fat
  • 1 1/4 cup water use 1 cup for Instant Pot method
Whole Spices
  • 1 stick cinnamon (Dalchini)
  • 2 Bay leaf (Tej Patta)
  • 5 Green Cardamom (Elaichi)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
  • 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 4 cloves (Laung)
Finishing ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon cilantro leaves chopped

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Heat oil and ghee in a heavy bottom pan or Dutch oven on medium-high heat. Add in the sliced onions. Cook them for about 10-12 minutes until onions caramelize. Stir frequently so they don't stick to the bottom.
  2. Add the whole spices, ginger and garlic. Saute for a minute until the raw smell is gone.
  3. Add the chicken. Mix well and saute for about 3-4 minutes minutes until the chicken changes color.
  4. Add the green chili, tomato, mint leaves, salt, garam masala, and yogurt. Sauté until the oil starts to separate in about 2-3 minutes. Keep stirring continuously until the yogurt is incorporated.
  5. Add the water to the pot. Stir and bring to a boil.
  6. Drain the rice and add it to the pot. Stir and bring to a boil.
  7. Now reduce the heat to low, and cover with a lid for 10-15 minutes until all the water is soaked and the rice is cooked.
  8. Turn off the heat and gently fluff the rice. Add the lime juice and gently stir with a rice paddle.
  9. Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves. Serve chicken pulao with raita.
Instant Pot Method
    Cup of Yum
  1. For this method, use boneless chicken cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Or if using bone-in chicken, make sure the pieces are cut small. For larger pieces, first pressure cook the chicken for 4 minutes, then add the rice and cook it along.
  2. Follow the same steps as the stovetop to make this pulao in the instant pot until the step of adding the rice and water to the pot. Pressure cook for 4 minutes on high pressure. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the pressure manually.
  3. Then, add the lime juice and fluff the rice gently. Serve and garnish with cilantro leaves. Enjoy with riata.

Notes

  • Use good quality aged long-grain basmati rice: I highly recommend using long-grain basmati rice for the best results in this pulao.
  • Green Chili Pepper: You can use Thai, Serrano, or Birdseye chili pepper. Make sure to adjust the amount to your taste. 
  • Perfectly cooked rice in pulao: Make sure to rinse the rice well before you use it for Chicken Pulao so all the starches are removed, and it is perfectly cooked and not sticky. A 20-minute soak in water before cooking helps the grains stay separate and fluffy.
  • Double the recipe: Double the amount if you're cooking for more people or want leftovers for another meal.

Nutrition Information

Calories 453kcal (23%) Carbohydrates 50g (17%) Protein 31g (62%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 7g (35%) Trans Fat 1g Cholesterol 97mg (32%) Sodium 752mg (31%) Potassium 736mg (21%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 3g (6%) Vitamin A 371IU (7%) Vitamin C 9mg (10%) Calcium 112mg (11%) Iron 2mg (11%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 453

% Daily Value*

Calories 453kcal 23%
Carbohydrates 50g 17%
Protein 31g 62%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 7g 35%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 97mg 32%
Sodium 752mg 31%
Potassium 736mg 16%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 3g 6%
Vitamin A 371IU 7%
Vitamin C 9mg 10%
Calcium 112mg 11%
Iron 2mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.