This one pot Chicken Pulao is our family favourite recipe since it’s simple and tastes super delicious. I enjoy cooking one pot recipes which are relatively easy, tasty and perfect for busy weekdays. For this pulao; you’ll need bunch of whole spices, powdered spices that are easily available in any Indian kitchen. Whole spices like cardamom, star anise, cinnamon sticks etc. adds wonderful aroma and taste to any recipe. I prefer to use overnight marinated chicken for this recipe; as it adds wonderful flavours. But if you are short on time then 30-60 minutes marination should be enough. As mentioned earlier; this recipe is super straightforward. You need to cook spices and add marinated chicken along with rice. Gently mix everything together then let it cook thoroughly; this pulao should be ready under 1 hour. Here, I have used basmati rice but other variety of rice like sona masoori, keeri samba and ponni rice also tastes good for this recipe. So, let’s jump to detailed recipe now !!

Ingredients:

500 gms of Chicken

1&1/2 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp chilli powder

1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder

1 tbsp garam masala or biryani masala

1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp cumin seeds

2 bay leaves

2 black cardamom

1 star anise

Cinnamon stick (2 pieces of inch long)

2 dry red chillies (optional)

1 large or 2 medium sized sliced onions

2 green chillies

2-3 tbsp ghee

1-2 cups of water

2 cups of basmati rice

Few strands of saffron soaked in hot milk (optional)

Salt as per taste

Coriander and mint leaves as per taste (for garnish)

How to make:

Marinate chicken pieces with dry spices ( ie. turmeric, coriander, chilli powders) along with ginger garlic paste.

Season with salt and keep aside for 30 minutes (if you could marinate for 3-4 hour or overnight that would be great).

Soak basmati rice in water for maximum 30 minutes.

Take a thick bottom pan on medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp of ghee into it.

Once it is hot and ghee starts melting; add sliced onions. Gently stir onions and add whole spices ie. cardamom, bay leaves, cinnamon, star anise and cumin seeds along with dry red chillies. Turn the heat low; so that spices won’t get burnt.

Once onions turns translucent, add marinated chicken into the pan. Gently mix everything together, cover the pan and allow it to cook over medium heat for 8-10 minutes.

Time to add soaked basmati rice – drain the rice and tip into the pan. Add about 1.5 cups of warm water and season with salt.

Again; cover the pan and allow it to cook over medium heat.

Once rice is half cooked (it will take around 10-12 minutes); gently mix everything together.

Add garam masala/ biryani masala over the top along with slit green chillies. Also add freshly chopped coriander and mint leaves over it.

Drizzle some ghee and again cover the pan. Turn heat to low and cook until rice is completely cooked (it will take another 8-10 minutes).

P.S. – If rice looks too dry or sticking to the bottom then add little water but don’t add too much else it will results into soggy rice. Also, gently stir in between so that chicken won’t stick to the bottom and everything mixed together. But don’t over mix as it might break the structure of rice.

Once rice is cooked, turn off the heat. Let the pan rest aside for 10 minutes; this time helps rice to hold the structure and it won’t turn soggy.

You can check out my Jeera Rice Recipe for tips to cook perfect rice.

Finally; garnish with saffron water and more coriander on top. Gently mix and serve hot Chicken pulao with some sides like raita, chutney or salad.

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Recipe