Chicken Pulao (Yakhni Pulao)

This classic Chicken Pulao (Yakhni Pulao) is a recipe that you can’t mess up. This recipe is full of flavour and promises tender chicken and fluffy rice. You can easily double the recipe so that you can serve your guests with confidence. Perfectly tested.

For years, I have been slowly but lovingly working on this Chicken Pulao (Yakhni Pulao) Recipe. Pulao, a rice dish with delicate spices, is not as popular as Chicken Biryani. One Houston restaurant owner told me that he would have to discard the Pulao each night because no one would choose it over Biryani.

It’s still close to my heart. Growing up in a Punjabi family meant Pulao on the table more often.

It’s a dish I make for guests whenever I want a simple, festive main course that goes with almost anything.

Survey ResultsI sent a Pulao questionnaire to my email list, and the results surprised me:

• The rice is the most difficult part to get right, according to 55.6% of respondents.
• 37% of respondents said that getting the right taste was the most difficult aspect.
• To my great dismay, I found out that a staggering 69.5% of people prefer their pulao to be made without tomatoes.

Chicken Pulao (Yakhni Pulao) vs Non-Yakhni Pulao

Yakhni is simply stock or broth. In order to make Yakhni Pulao, the bone-in meat is simmered to create a stock. The broth is used to cook rice.

Pulao, without Yakhni, is a one-pot meal made with aromatics, vegetables or protein, whole spices and water. Mutton Pulao is one example. Others include Matar Pulao and Chana Pulao.

A proper Yakhni is needed to make pulao. It does take an additional 25 minutes. It’s worth it for the richness of flavour that the broth imparts to each bite.

Ingredients for Chicken Pulao (Yakhni Pulao)

Pulao is easy to make as long as you use whole spices.

Broth (Yakhni) Ingredients

• Whole spices are required: bay leaves, cloves, bay leaf, bay seed, black peppercorns and cumin seeds. The proportion of whole spices must be balanced to ensure that any one spice does not overpower the broth. As always, if a few spices are missing, omit them and continue!
• Bone-in chicken: I use skinless, cut-up whole chicken pieces, which are naturally small. Halal meat markets have smaller chickens. The chickens weigh about 2.5 lb, as opposed to supermarket chickens that are 3-4 lb.
  • You can use my Mutton Pulao Recipe instead of chicken if you prefer goat (mutton), beef, lamb or any other meat. The main difference between the two is that it takes longer to cook meat and, therefore, requires more water. It will take around 2 hours to gently simmer goat or lamb meat. Around 3 hours is required for beef. If you want the stock to be concentrated, only add as much water as is needed to cook the beef.
• Red onion is also good, but I used yellow. It’s not necessary to measure the onions exactly. However, you should know that the pulao is beautiful because of the onions.

Chicken Pulao Ingredients

• As always, I enjoy blending ghee and oil for the perfect balance of flavour.
• Plain whole-milk yogurt. Whisked yoghurt at room temperature is best to avoid curdling. However, you can use it cold. It will eventually blend in with the rice and broth. If you don’t use tomatoes, feel free to add more yoghurt.
  • If you want to keep the recipe dairy-free, leave out the yoghurt and use tomatoes instead.
• Roma tomatoes are my favourite because they have less water. Most people, as I said earlier, prefer pulao with tomatoes. Although I enjoy the vibrant flavours they bring, I have tried the pulao with and without tomatoes. It was still delicious. With a heavy-hearted heart, I have made the tomatoes optional.
• Aged, long-grain basmati rice: I use Royal’s Chef’s Secret, aged, long-grain basmati rice. I learned from feedback that my Instant Pot Chicken Pulao with Rice Cooker Basmati Rice is more resistant to liquid and tougher than other types. It doesn’t matter what type of rice you use, as long as the grain is long and aged.
• The rice is still better with whole spices. Even though the stock has the flavour of whole spices in it, they are essential. The flavour of the whole spices is enhanced by blooming them in oil.
  • If you don’t want to use whole spices, add more to the stock or use 1/2 tsp of ground garam masala when making the pulao.
• For the right amount of heat, I use either 2 Thai chillies or 1 Serrano. You can certainly adjust the amount to your liking.

Garnish Ingredients

• Black Pepper and Garam Masala powder: I use this ground spice to add a touch of texture and aroma. These spices are not overpowering or overwhelming, so you can reduce the amount or leave them out if you don’t want to.
• Cilantro & Mint – I add them after the rice is cooked to maintain their flavour and colour. Mint leaves are a must-have in Chicken Pulao. But cilantro is just as good.

How to make Chicken Pulao?

Make the stock first. It is the easiest step. All stock ingredients can be added and simmered until the chicken has been cooked.

How to cook the chicken perfectly

• To ensure that your chicken is tender and has maximum flavour, cook it at the lowest heat. Resting the chicken for two hours or storing it in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours will give you a more robust taste.
• Make sure that the chicken is cooked but not yet falling off the bones. My chicken takes around 20 minutes. If you’re unsure, try a piece. Turn off the heat if you can eat it without heating.

• Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon or tong, and then strain the stock. The remaining onion and spices can be thrown away.
• Add water to the amount of broth you need, up to 2 3/4 cups. The simple evaporation theory says that simmering liquids will reduce them. With the lid on and the chicken juices contained, I am essentially back where I began – 2 3/4 cup.
• The colour of the rice will be determined by the onions in all pulaos. To brown them evenly, you need to be patient, stir them frequently and deglaze your pan. It’s important not to brown the onions too much before you add the garlic and ginger, as they will continue to brown once the tomato and yoghurt are added.

• Sauté the chicken until you see it turn from pale to golden. Do not cook too long, or else it will darken.
• Stir in the green chilli peppers, yoghurt and tomatoes (if you’re using them) and sauté gently to prevent the chicken from breaking. Add the broth once the oil separates.
• Tip for troubleshooting: If the chicken is indeed breaking apart and has been overcooked, remove it with a tong from the pan. Continue the recipe. After the rice has reached a boil, gently stir in the chicken.
• Bring the broth to a rolling boil. Drain the rice thoroughly so that you don’t add any extra water.

• As the rice is starting to absorb some salt, it’s a good idea to perform a final test.
• Now, let’s move on to the final, never-again-intimidating step: cooking the rice perfectly!

How to cook the rice perfectly

It would help if you started by ensuring that you have the basic ingredients for rice, such as washing it gently until the water is clear and soaking the rice according to the instructions. In terms of the pot, a Dutch oven with a 5.5 quarts capacity that is non-stick works best to prevent the rice from sticking. Here are some tips for ensuring perfect rice every time.

Know your rice

• In my survey, I found that most people use 1.5 to 2 cups water to cook one cup of basmati. To cook 1.5 cups of rice (Royal chef’s secret Extra Long), you need 3 cups on the stovetop. But for this recipe, I have added the additional moisture from the other ingredients.
• Use your normal ratio if you cook rice frequently. If you use 1.5 cups of water for 1 cup of white rice, then I would use 2 1/4 cups of broth.
• This tip came from my friend Kathryn, who runs Cardamom and Tea, and, surprisingly enough, from my rice maker. Let the rice cook on its own. Stirring can break the rice kernels or interfere with the heat build-up.
• Even after the steaming is done, keep the lid on. Kathryn’s advice to leave the rice covered is to allow it to coast to perfection.
• Even after cooking, don’t stir the rice. Resting it too long will cause the rice to become clumpy and stick to the bottom. To fluff the rice, use a rice paddle, not a fork. Stirring, particularly with a spoon, can break the rice kernels.

Simmer and then Steam.

The rice is usually simmered until the majority of water has been absorbed or evaporated. After that, the rice is steamed, or dum, for the final time.

• Keep the heat medium-high or higher to ensure that it simmers but does not boil. The long grains will soak up liquids as they cook-off.
• Cover or not cover? I’ve let the rice simmer partially covered, fully covered, as well as uncovered. My happy medium (i.e. The lid partially covering the rice/water ratio is the best compromise.

How to Steam (Dum).

• You’ll know when it’s time to steam the rice once you see potholes appearing in the top layer. It’s time to give it a final steam.
• Cover the lid using a cloth, so i use an old kitchen towel or cotton cloth. The aim is to absorb any excess moisture and contain the Steam.
• Relax. If you have given your rice time to cook and you steam too early or too late, it won’t matter. The steaming cloth + resting technique has plenty of wiggle room.

What to serve with Pulao

Kachumber Salad

Mint Raita

Raita de Cucumber/Vegetable

• The only side that is essential for me is a bowl of mint raita or cucumber raita.
• Serve with Kachumber Salad or with fresh, crunchy vegetables that have been chopped with some salt, pepper and lemon juice.
• Pulaos can be served with kebabs like Chapli Kabab or Aloo Ki Tikki.
• You can add traditional dishes like Aloo Gosht or Korma to your party spread.
• My husband’s family enjoys eating pulao and Zarda together, but I haven’t yet acquired the taste.