Chicken Pulao Recipe

Chicken Pulao is one of the very aromatic soft chicken rice recipes which is loved as comfort food in the entire Indian subcontinent and even in the world beyond it. Simplicity and taste go together in Chicken Pulao, so this is one dish that’s simply too delightful, yet relatively simple to make and perfect for family gatherings, lunchboxes, or a cozy dinner. Unlike its cousin, complex Chicken Biryani with multiple layers of marination and cooking, Chicken Pulao is a one-pot dish and produces the flavor essence in a quick and efficient manner.

This article attempts to unfold the recipe for making a classic Chicken Pulao from scratch; it includes tips, variations, and other useful insights that will help you make this dish at home.

What is Chicken Pulao?

Chicken Pulao is an Indian rice dish, in which basmati rice is prepared with aromatic spices and chicken in one pot or a pressure cooker. The rice is very often prepared with a whole spices mixture with herbs and even saffron added to the fragrant flavor mix that accompanies the cooking of the chicken. Pulao is easier since everything is cooked at the same time, while Chicken Biryani is layered with marinated chicken and rice, which is equally delectable but sort of a complicated recipe.

Pulao is very versatile because it can be prepared using all kinds of proteins, whether it is lamb, beef, or even vegetables; however, the most popular remains to be Chicken Pulao due to tender pieces of chicken and delicate flavors.

Ingredients for Chicken Pulao

To prepare this fantastic Chicken Pulao, you would require the following. All the items are available in most of the grocery shops or Indian groceries.

Marinate for the Chicken

500 grams chicken

Bone-in portions, preferable

Chicken thighs, or breast-cut into small, bite-sized portions

1 tablespoon yogurt

to soften the meat

1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste

to give it an extra flair

1 tablespoon lemon juice

to make it taste and tender

– **Salt according to taste** for the chicken marinade

 Pulao:

– **1 ½ cups basmati rice**, washed well and soaked for 20-30 minutes

– **1 large onion** thinly sliced

– **1-2 green chilies**, for some heat, if desired

– **2 tomatoes** chopped

– **2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil**, for richness

– **1 teaspoon cumin seeds**, an earthy base flavor

– **1 cinnamon stick**, warmness

– **3-4 cloves**, depth

– **2-3 green cardamom pods**, fragrance

– 1 bay leaf (for flavor)

– 1 tsp garam masala powder for warmth and depth

– 1 tsp turmeric powder for color and mild flavor

– 1 tsp coriander powder for fresh citrus flavor

– ½ tsp red chili powder for heat; use as per your preference

– 1 ½ cups chicken stock or water to cook the rice

– Fresh coriander leaves to garnish

– Fresh mint leaves, for a refreshing contrast, if using

**Salt, to taste

How to Prepare Chicken Pulao Step by Step

Step 1: Marinate the Chicken

Marinate the chicken. Take a bowl and add chicken pieces, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, and salt; mix well so that the chicken pieces get well coated. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or for 1-2 hours. Yogurt softens the chicken and it tastes good due to ginger-garlic paste.

Step 2: Rice preparation

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the rice. Rinse basmati rice well in cold water to remove excess starch; then soak it in water for about 20-30 minutes. As mentioned earlier, when the rice is soaked, it ensures that rice cooks fluffy and separate as opposed to being too sticky.

Step 3: Cook Chicken

Add 1-2 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil to a big pot or pressure cooker. Once heated, add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter, releasing the aromatic oils; then add the whole spices: cinnamon, cloves, cardamom pods, and bay leaf-stir gently, releasing all flavors in oil.

Add the thinly sliced onions and sauté until they are golden brown, stirring occasionally. This is the most important part of preparing-adding that sweet flavor which the pulao will carry.

Add the chopped tomatoes when the onions turn brown. Mix well until they get mashed up and the gravy becomes thick. Add green chilies, garam masala, turmeric powder, coriander powder, and red chili powder into the pot. Fry for another 2-3 minutes so all the spices start blossoming up and infuse into the oil.

Step 4: Add the marinated chicken.

Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pot. Cook the chicken for 5-7 minutes, stirring sometimes, until it is no longer pink and is browned on both sides. By this time, the chicken would have released all its juices to combine with spices and onions that are making a delicious sauce for the rice.

Step 5: Add Rice

Add the steamed rice. Mix the cooked chicken and rice with the spice mix gently until it doesn’t break the rice. If you are using pressure cooker, you can add water or chicken stock in this step already. You might need 1 ½ glasses of chicken broth or water with every glassful of rice used. Stir through well so it is spread on the pan in an even form.

If in a normal pot then turn on low flame, cover the lid of the pot with tight pressure and cook pulao 20-25 min. and if using a pressure cooker then 1-2 whistle on a low flame.

Step 6: Resting Pulao

Once the rice is cooked and allowed to meld together the flavors, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. This way, the rice will firm up, and the flavors will settle nicely.

Step 7: Garnish and Serve

Fluff the rice grains apart with a fork after it has rested. Garnish the Chicken Pulao with fresh coriander leaves and mint leaves if using; it adds freshness and color to the dish.

Serve Chicken Pulao hot with raita, pickle, or a fresh salad on the side. The dish is palatable and sumptuous on its own, but the cooling raita calms out the spices for an even more pleasurable meal.

Tips and Variations for Chicken Pulao

1. Use Bone-In Chicken: The reason one must include the pieces with bones is that the juices of the bones get released in the course of cooking, which makes it even more tastier. This can be replaced with boneless chicken if there is a time constraint.

2. Ghee: The addition of ghee adds to the richness of the dish besides flavors. Ghee is clarified butter, making the food richly flavored. However if ghee is not there available, use of vegetable oil may be taken place, and its flavoring wont be very nice.

3. Saffron Saffron imparts a very aromatic, tasty flavor while it is being cooked into the water or stock meant for cooking rice. If some strands of saffron are soaked in warm water or milk and let it drip through the rice, then a colorful ending is obtained.

4. **Vegetarian Version**: You can easily prepare the vegetarian version of Chicken Pulao by substituting the chicken with peas, carrots, potatoes, or beans. Everything remains the same as in terms of spice and technique but it is your vegetables that are giving you a different feel and flavor.

5. **Make it spicy**: For making a spicy recipe, add some green chilies or add some red chili powder while marinating.

6. Add Cashews and Raisins: For a richness and celebration feel, mix in roasted cashews and raisins while preparing. The pulao will come out slightly sweet and crunchy because of the additional ingredients.

Conclusion

Chicken Pulao is easy to prepare one-pot fare that is so full of flavor. This very aromatic rice and tender chicken prepared with aromatic spices can be an easy weeknight dinner or just a special celebration meal. This simple recipe makes it easy to cook for anyone, even a novice, in the comfort of one’s home. Whether it is for family or guests, Chicken Pulao will surely please the palate with its comforting taste and heartwarming aroma.

Thus, the dish can thus be modified with some little deviation and some creativity according to your taste buds and your very own signature Chicken Pulao. So, go ahead grab your ingredients and take a spin through these simple steps to another flavorful and very delicious dish, all for sure in your kitchen!

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