Chicken Yakhni Pulao

Ingredients

• 1 kg Chicken (cut into pieces)
• 4.5 cup Water (4.5 to 5 cups for the stock)
• 1 Onion (small, for stock)
• 1 tbsp Garlic (for stock)
• 1 piece Ginger (small piece for stock)
• 3 Green Chillies (for stock)
• 1 tbsp Salt (for stock)
• 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds (zeera)
• 1 tbsp Coriander Seeds (sabut dhania)
• 0.5 tsp Black Peppercorns
• 0.5 tsp Black Pepper Powder
• 1 Bay Leaf (tez pata)
• 3 Green Cardamoms
• 1 Black Cardamom
• 2 Cloves (laung)
• 1 Cinnamon Stick (darchini)
• 0.5 cup Cooking Oil
• 3 tbsp Ghee
• 2 Onions (medium, sliced)
• 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• 1 tbsp Crushed Red Chilli (kutti lal mirch)
• 1 Tomato (large)
• 4 Green Chillies (chopped, for pulao)
• 3 cup Basmati Rice (soaked for 30 minutes; quantity estimated for 1kg chicken)
• Salt (to taste)
• Fresh Coriander (for garnish)
• Crispy Brown Onions (for garnish)

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare the Yakhni (Stock): In a large pot, combine 1 kg chicken, 4.5 to 5 cups of water, 1 small onion, 1 tbsp garlic, a small piece of ginger, 3 green chillies, 1 tbsp salt, and the whole spices (cumin, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, black pepper powder, bay leaf, green and black cardamoms, cloves, and cinnamon stick).

2. 2

   Simmer the stock over medium heat until the chicken is tender and the water has absorbed the flavors of the spices. Once cooked, strain the stock (yakhni) into a separate bowl and set the chicken pieces aside. Discard the boiled aromatics/spices from the strainer.

3. 3

   In a separate large pot or degchi, heat 1/2 cup of oil and 3 tbsp of ghee. Add 2 medium sliced onions and sauté until they reach a deep golden brown color. The darker the onions, the richer the color of your pulao.

4. 4

   Add the prepared chicken pieces from the stock to the pot with the onions. Add 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tbsp crushed red chilli, and salt to taste. Sauté for a few minutes until the chicken is lightly browned.

5. 5

   Add 1 large chopped tomato and 4 chopped green chillies. Optionally, add a small amount of pulao masala or tamarind (imli) pulp for extra tanginess as suggested in the transcript. Cook until the tomatoes soften.

6. 6

   Pour in the reserved yakhni (stock). Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat.

7. 7

   Add the soaked and drained basmati rice to the boiling stock. Cook on high heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and small 'craters' appear on the surface of the rice.

8. 8

   Once the water is mostly absorbed, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid (you can use a kitchen towel to seal the steam). Reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and let it simmer (Dum) for 12–15 minutes.

9. 9

   Turn off the heat and let the pulao rest for 5 minutes before opening. Fluff the rice gently with a fork.

10. 10

    Garnish with fresh coriander, crispy brown onions, and additional green chillies. Serve hot with raita or chutney.

Notes

Rice Tip: For perfectly fluffy pulao, ensure the water is mostly absorbed before starting the 'Dum' (steam) process. The transcript also suggests adding tamarind pulp (imli) for the best flavor profile.

Nutrition per serving

• pulao
• chicken
• main course
• Pakistani
• Indian
• one-pot meal
• yakhni
• basmati rice