Chicken Pulao or Pilau or pilaf, is easy to make and the most comforting meal for a rainy day like today. This one-pot dish made with rice and chicken has added spices and herbs, giving it a mild aromatic flavor.
This recipe is served with raita (an Indian yogurt side), pickles and papad (a crisp thin Indian snack).
Chicken Pulao
Chicken pulao is one of the most common rice dishes in India and Pakistan.
What I like about making chicken pulao is that it requires very little effort especially if you use frozen pre made garlic/ginger and use a food processor for chopping the onions. It is perfect for busy week days.
Why this Pulao Recipe is so good
- Spices: This recipe uses whole garam masala spices. I don’t like to use boxed spice mixes like Biryani Masala. Whole Garam Masala adds a depth of flavour that id unmatched by ground spices.
- Rice: Whilst I like the grains of rice to be separate, I don’t like them to be too al dente. Myself and mt family prefer softer rice grains.
Tips for making the best Pulao
The most important thing in this recipe, is the cooking of the rice. Taking it too far will result in mushy rice that is clumped together. The rice grains should be separate after being cooked.
Rice For Pulao
Basmati rice is usually used to make pulao. The basmati rice I prefer is either Mustafa Rice or Tilda Basmati. The rice should be long-grained. Aged basmati yields the best results.
How to cook the rice perfectly
Pre soak the rice – If time permits, you should always soak your rice for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. Soaking the rice removes excess starch, reduces cooking time and makes for a more fluffy overall dish.
If you do not have time to soak the rice, then just thoroughly rinse the rice before adding it to the pot. Please note that this will change cooking times and quantity of water needed too. Presoaked rice grains require less water for cooking as compared to rice grains which are not soaked.
Add the right amount of water – It is really easy to add too much water to rice. So make sure that you do not add too much, especially if you have pre-soaked the rice.
Sauté the rice – After adding the rice to the pot, it is always better to sauté it for 1 to 2 minutes on low. This adds more flavour to the overall dish.
Rice To Water Ratio
For the most part, the rice to water ratio in all recipes requires a ration of 1:2. However, this ratio can vary depending on the type of rice used or the cooking method used.
There are some varieties of Basmati rice that come parboiled. They will need less water then a regular Basmati Rice.
How To Make Chicken Pulao
Rinse rice until water runs clear then soak for 20 – 30 minutes.
Boil cleaned chicken with cinnamon, black cardamom, green cardamom, cumin, red chilli flakes, chillies, garlic, ginger, peppercorns, bay leaf, star anise. Bring to a boil and then simmer fro 20 minutes. Strain over a large bowl and remove the chicken.
In a separate pot, heat oil and ghee if using. Add cumin fennel if using, whole garam masala and onions after 2 minutes.
Brown onions on low until a very deep golden brown. This can take up to 30 minutes. The longer you do this, the better the overall flavour.
Add ginger, garlic and green chilli and saute for 2 – 3 minutes.
Add rice and saute for 2 minutes, then add stock, salt and chicken. Bring to a boil and cover and low for 10 – 15 minutes. Turn the heat off and leave covered for 10 – 15 minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions With Pulao
I recommend serving vegetable pulao with the following:
- Raita (an Indian yogurt dish): I like cucumber or red onion raita. To make simply grate or chop half a cucumber, wrap in a towel and squeeze out excess water, then add to 1 cup of yoghurt with some chopped mint leaves or chutney, salt and some chopped green chilli.
- With pickle and papad: As this is a subtle dish,it works well with some pickle and roasted or fried papad/papadum.
- Plain Yogurt.
- Some sliced red onions steeped in lemon or lime with a pinch of sugar.
Pulao Variations
There are many variations that can be made in a pulao recipe. From adding different meats to using a stock in place of water or spicing with unique spices:
- You can use Lamb/Mutton/Beef in place of chicken.
- You can make a Vegetarian version using your favourite veg in place of the meat.
- You can add Yoghurt or Coconut Milk to the dish.
- You can make a Green Chutney (made with Coriander leaves/stems, green chilli, ginger and garlic) to add in. This is how I sometimes make it.
- You can add some Tomatoes in.
- You can use Pulao or Biryani spiced box mixes instead of the whole Garam Masala.
- You can use stock instead of water to cook the rice in.
- You can alter the Spices and Herbs according to your taste.
- You can add some crisp golden fried onions as a garnish on the pulao.
- You can even add some saffron strands into the dish while cooking pulao.
- You can tie the Garam Masala spices in a Muslin Cloth. I do this when I use Lamb.
More Indian Rice Recipes:
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Chicken Pulao
Chicken Pulao or Pilau or pilaf, is easy to make and the most comforting meal for a rainy day like today. This one-pot dish made with rice and chicken has added spices and herbs, giving it a mild aromatic flavor.
Ingredients
Stock
- 1.5 tbsp Coriander Seeds
- 2 large Cinnamon Sticks
- 2 Black Cardamon
- 6 Green Cardamon
- 10 Cloves
- 2 tbsp Black Peppercorns
- 2 Star Anise
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Flakes
- 6 cloves Garlic
- 1 Onion roughly chopped
- 1 Whole Chicken divided into 8 or 8 peices Chicken thighs/legs mixed Skin Off
- 1 l Water or Chicken Stock Or enough water to cover all the ingredients
Rice and Assembly
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 tbsp Ghee
- 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
- 1 tsp Fennel Seeds Optional
- 2 Black Cardamom
- 2 Cinnamon Sticks
- 10 Black Peppercorns
- 5 Cloves
- 1.5 inch Ginger crushed
- 6 cloves Garlic crushed
- 3 Green Chillies slit
- 3 cups Rice
- 6 cups Chicken Stock or Water
- 3 flat tsp Salt
Instructions
Stock
-
In a large pot combine all the ingredients for the stock. Cover with enough water or stock to cover the ingredients compleltey. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat right down and simmer on low for 25 minutes.
-
Strain the stock over a bowl and remove the chicken. You can keep the stock for use later.
Rice
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Whilst the chicken is simmering, heat oil and ghee if using, over a high heat.
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Add the cumin seeds, black cardamom, cinnamon, black peppercorns and coves. Saute for 2 minutes or until popping and fragrant.
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Add the onions and saute until they are a deep golden brown. This can take up to 30 minutes over a low heat. You will need to check and stir a couple of times. Don't be tempted to rush this stage because this adds a lot of flavour to the finished dish.
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Now add the garlic, ginger and green chillies and cook for 2 - 3 minutes before adding the rice. Saute for 3 - 4 minutes before adding the salt and water/stock.
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Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low till the water is absorbed. This takes roughly 10 minutes. Remove from the heat but leave the pot covered for a further 15 minutes.
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Serve warm with Raita and Papadams - see raita recipe in notes.
Recipe Notes
The recipe looks more daunting then it is with an ingredient list as long as my arm. However you are literally just chicken stuff in and this really is a very hands off recipe.
Pulao Variations
- You can use Lamb/Mutton/Beef in place of chicken.
- You can make a Vegetarian version using your favourite veg in place of the meat.
- You can add a couple of tablespoons of Yoghurt or Coconut Milk to the dish.
- You can make a Green Chutney (made with Coriander leaves/stems, green chilli, ginger and garlic) to add in.
- You can add some Tomatoes in.
- You can use Pulao or Biryani spiced box mixes instead of the whole Garam Masala.
- You can use stock instead of water to cook the rice in.
- You can alter the Spices and Herbs according to your taste.
- You can add some crisp golden fried onions as a garnish on the pulao.
- You can even add some saffron strands into the dish while cooking pulao.
- You can tie the Garam Masala spices in a Muslin Cloth. I do this when I use Lamb.
Serving Suggestions With Pulao
I recommend serving vegetable pulao with the following:
- Raita (an Indian yogurt dish): I like cucumber or red onion raita. To make simply grate or chop half a cucumber, wrap in a towel and squeeze out excess water, then add to 1 cup of yoghurt with some chopped mint leaves or chutney, salt and some chopped green chilli.
- With pickle and papad: As this is a subtle dish,it works well with some pickle and roasted or fried papad/papadum.
- Plain Yogurt.
- Some sliced red onions steeped in lemon or lime with a pinch of sugar.
Type of Rice
Basmati rice is usually used to make pulao. The basmati rice I prefer is either Mustafa Rice or Tilda Basmati. The rice should be long-grained. Aged basmati yields the best results.
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