Chicken Akni - The best One Pot Chicken and Rice Pilau
Chicken Akni - The best One Pot Chicken and Rice Pilau- Fancy making an easier version of Biryani? This one pot Chicken Akni is exactly that. Vibrant colours, fluffy rice and aromatic flavours make Akni a dish that is loved by all.Akni is a beautifully fragrant, warmly spiced, one pot rice and chicken dish that is beloved across South Asia and beyond. Think all the aroma and flavour of Biryani but with the simplicity of cooking a Pilau. No layering needed!This is a Memon Akni recipe that is very popular and is slightly different to other Akni recipes.
Ingredients
Whole Spices
- 2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 2 Dry Red Chillies
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 4 Cardamom Pods slightly bashed open
- 4 Cloves
- 2 sticks Cinnamon
- 10 Black Peppercorns
Onions
- 100 ml Oil
- 3 tbsp Ghee Optional
- 4 Onions sliced finely
Remaining Ingredients
- 2 ½ inch Ginger grated finely
- 8 - 10 Garlic Cloves crushed
- 3 Green Chillis pierced
- 500 g Tinned tomato or Passata blended
- 1 kg Chicken legs and thighs combined skinless
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 3 teaspoon Cumin Powder
- 2 ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 4 teaspoon Paprika Any
- 1-2 teaspoon Chilli Powder Or according to taste
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 4 ½ cups Water Boiled
- 4 large Potatoes peeled and chopped into 1 inch quarters
- 2 ½ cups Rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes
- 2 ½ teaspoon Salt
Instructions
- Soak Spices - Soak the whole spices in ¼ cup of water and set aside.
- Brown Onions - Heat the oil and ghee in a large pot over medium high heat. Once hot, add onions and after 10 - 15 minutes when onions are golden, add in the soaked spices with the water. Cover and allow the spices to steam for 4 minutes. Keep an eye on the onions to make sure they aren't browning too much.
- Add Garlic, Ginger and Green Chillies - and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes - Cook covered on medium low until jammy and the oil begins to separate. About 7 - 10 minutes.
- Add chicken - Sauté until the chicken turns opaque and lightly browned. You're not fully cooking it yet, just sealing.
- Add Spices - Add Turmeric, Cumin, Coriander, Paprika, Chilli Powder and Kashmiri Chilli Powder. Cook on medium high for 5 minutes.
- Add boiling water + potatoes - Simmer gently.
- Add soaked rice and salt - Gently fold it in (don't overmix or you' ll break grains).
- Steam on low - Bring to a boil, and when not much water remainins, cover the pot with a layer of foil and a lid. Let it cook for 20 - 25 minutes until the rice is tender and the chicken is fully cooked.
- Rest - Turn off heat, leave the lid on for 10 minutes. This allows steam to settle and grains to separate.
- Garnish with fresh coriander.
Notes
Pro Tips for the Best Akni
Do not rush the onions - The depth of flavour depends heavily on them. Soak your rice - Gives longer grains + better fluffiness. Sear the Chicken - Sear the chicken with the onions and tomatoes to brown the outside, it will finish cooking with the rice. Caramelisation adds to the flavour of the chicken but the browning left in the pot forms part of the flavour base for the rice. Using a lot of Paprika - This I think one of the key things in this recipe because I wouldn't use Paprika in a normal Akni recipe and if I did, I definitely wouldn't use so much but that is what makes it so unique and tasty, in my opinion. Prep In Advance - You can make the recipe up until the water is added and then just half an hour before lunch time, add the water and continue the steps as mentioned. This will keep the rice moist as it is supposed to be. I use pre soaked Basmati Rice in this recipe - The basmati rice I prefer is either Mustafa Rice or Tilda Basmati. The rice should be long-grained. Aged basmati yields the best results. 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.Make it in the oven instead
You can also do this stage in the oven. I would start at high heat for 5 minutes and then lower the heat to 180 C/350 F/Gas Mark 4 for the 20 minutes.Serving Suggestions
Cucumber raita Onion Raita Kachumber Carrot Achaar Mint coriander chutneyVariations
Add a cup of mixed Vegetables such as Corn, Peas, CarrotsFAQs
Is Akni supposed to be moist?
Yes it s not dry like pilau and not layered like biryani. A slight moistness is characteristic.Why did my rice break?
Stirring too much or using un soaked rice causes breakage.How long does Chicken Akni keep?
Chicken Akni lasts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.Can it be frozen?
Yes it can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To reheat, allow to come to room temperature, then microwave or add to a pot with a splash of water and reheat on low.Nutrition
Calories: 429kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 7gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 1408mgPotassium: 213mgFiber: 4gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 228IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
