Chicken Yakhni Pulao

Chicken Yakhni Pulao – Fill your belly and your home with the soothing aroma of this authentic Chicken Yakhni Pulao! The essence of the meal is the silky and smooth Yakhni the rice cooks in. Layer the fragrant basmati rice with tender pieces of chicken, crispy fried onions, and aromatic spices. Like our Mutton Yakhni Pulao, Chicken Pulao is perfect for family gatherings and dawats.

WHAT IS CHICKEN PULAO?

Chicken Yakhni Pulao is a rice-based dish originating from the Indian subcontinent and is popular in many South Asian and Middle Eastern countries. Prepare it by cooking rice with chicken, aromatic spices, and herbs for a fragrant one-pot meal. The chicken can be cooked separately and added to the rice or cooked together with the rice, depending on the recipe. Serve it with traditional pairings like yogurt or Raita.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

• Whole Spices: Impart flavor to the Yakhni with black cardamom, green cardamom, black cloves, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, star anise, a cinnamon stick, and bay leaves.
• Ghee: Ghee is a staple in Indian and Pakistani cuisine and develops a deep, nutty base that sets the stage for the dish.
• Onion: Onions enrich the broth and serve as a garnish for the pulao; bites with crispy onions are the best ones, in my opinion.
• Garlic and Ginger: Deepen the flavor of the yakhni and the pulao using fresh garlic and ginger. 
• Green Chilis: For heat that doesn’t overwhelm, subtly add warmth using slit green chilis.
• Chicken: I use a whole chicken to make Chicken Yakhni Pulao, but feel free to use bone-in legs and thighs. Yakhni is often made with goat and lamb as well.
• Salt: Use salt as a lever to perfectly season the rice.
• Basmati Rice: The key to making good rice begins with soaking it in water beforehand; the longer, the better! Soaking results in the long, distinct grains of basmati rice you expect from a good pulao. 

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN YAKHNI PULAO

The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.

For the Chicken Yakhni:

Warm ghee in an Instant Pot on saute mode. Add onion and cook until the onions become soft and translucent.

Next, rinse the chicken, and add it to the pot. Saute on saute mode for 1 minute. Then, add water and salt; stir to combine.

Lastly, add the water and spice ball to the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and cook on manual high pressure for 20 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.

For the Chicken Yakhni Pulao:

Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and cut it into legs, thighs, and breasts; set it aside.

Then, drain the broth in a colander over a large mixing bowl to preserve the broth. Reserve 2½ cups of the broth and store the rest.

Warm ghee in a Dutch Oven over low-medium heat and add the onions. Cook until they are golden brown and crispy, for about 20-25 minutes.

While the onions cook, wash the basmati rice until the water runs clear. Then, add the rice to a bowl and cover it with water to soak it for at least 30 minutes.

Remove the onions from the pan with a slotted spoon, and set them aside to drain. In the same pot, saute cumin seeds and green chilies until they begin sputtering.

Stir in the ginger and garlic, and cook for 1-2 minutes until the raw smell fades.

Drain the soaking water and add the rice to the Dutch oven with the reserved Chicken Yakhni.

Bring the pot to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender for 10-15 minutes.

Add a layer of chicken and rice to a serving dish and top with the crispy onion. Layer the rice over the top, followed by more onion. Repeat until the ingredients are gone, and garnish with cilantro or mint to serve.

TRESSA’S TIPS

• Start with fresh, whole spices; this makes all the difference since spices will lose their flavor over time.
• Bone-in chicken is necessary to make Chicken Yakhni Soup. You can use store-bought bone broth if you’re in a pinch, but I don’t recommend it since they use different spices and vegetables than the homemade broth.
• Once the rice start cooking, let it be. Stirring the rice will disturb the grain and cause it to become mushy, and no one wants that.

SEARCHING FOR MORE LIKE THIS? 

If you love this recipe, try one of these bone broth favorites!  

Paya Soup

Yakhni

Mutton Paya

Mutton Soup

SERVING SUGGESTIONS 

• Easy Raita, Chutney, Serrano Crema
• Kachumber Salad, Avocado Cucumber Tomato Salad
• Onion Slices, Lemon Wedges
• Beef Kaleji Recipe
• Kabob (Shami, Bihari, Boti)
• Baked Tandoori Chicken
• Aloo Keema (Ground Beef and Potato Curry)

WHAT TO DO WITH LEFTOVERS 

• Refrigerate – Store leftovers in an airtight container; it will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days.
• Freeze – Allow the dish to cool. Then, add it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Chicken Yakhni Pulao freezes for up to two months.
• Thaw – When you’re ready to eat, defrost it in the fridge overnight.
• Reheat – Warm a single serving in the microwave, or add it all to a saute pan for a quick and easy meal the whole family will enjoy.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

YOU SHOULD ALSO TRY: 

• Instant Pot Chicken Biryani
• Grilled Tandoori Chicken
• Chicken Karahi
• And more Indian favorites!

Chicken Yakhni Pulao

Tressa Jamil

Make simple, mouthwatering Chicken Yakhni Pulao; it combines tender chicken, crispy onions, and aromatic spices with yakhni-infused basmati rice.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine Indian, Pakistani

Servings 8 Servings

Calories 538 kcal

Equipment

• Instant Pot
• Dutch Oven
• Spice Ball

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the Chicken Yakhni:

• 1 tablespoon ghee
• 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
• 6 cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• 2 -inch ginger, sliced
• 2-3 green chilies, slit lengthwise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 whole chicken, washed, or 2-3 pounds chicken legs and thighs
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 4 black cardamom
• 2 green cardamom
• 6 black cloves
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 1½ teaspoons coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 star anise
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups water

For the Chicken Yakhni Pulao:

• ¼ cup ghee
• 2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
• 2 green chilies, slit lengthwise
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
• 2 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked
• 2½ cups yakhni, reserved from the Chicken Yakhni

For Garnish:

• cilantro, chopped
• mint, chopped

Instructions

 

For the Chicken Yakhni:

• Warm ghee in an Instant Pot on saute mode. Add onion and cook until the onions become soft and translucent.
• While onions are cooking, add the whole spices to a spice ball and set it aside. Add garlic, ginger, green chilies, and a cinnamon stick to the Instant Pot. Cook for another minute.
• Next, rinse the chicken, and add it to the pot. Saute on saute mode for 1 minute. Then, add water and salt; stir to combine.
• Lastly, add the water and spice ball to the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and cook on manual high pressure for 20 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.

For the Chicken Yakhni Pulao:

• Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and cut it into legs, thighs, and breasts; set it aside. Then, drain the broth in a colander over a large mixing bowl to preserve the broth. Reserve 2½ cups of the broth and store the rest.
• Warm ghee in a Dutch Oven over low-medium heat and add the onions. Cook until they are golden brown and crispy, for about 20-25 minutes.
• While the onions cook, wash the basmati rice until the water runs clear. Then, add the rice to a bowl and cover it with water to soak it for at least 30 minutes.
• Remove the onions from the pan with a slotted spoon, and set them aside to drain. In the same pot, saute cumin seeds and green chilies until they begin sputtering.
• Stir in the ginger and garlic, and cook for 1-2 minutes until the raw smell fades.
• Drain the soaking water and add the rice to the Dutch oven with the reserved Chicken Yakhni.
• Bring the pot to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender for 10-15 minutes.
• Remove the rice from the heat and add the reserved chicken pieces. Stir to combine. Cover with the lid and set it aside to steam for 10 minutes.
• Add a layer of chicken and rice to a serving dish and top with the crispy onion. Layer the rice over the top, followed by more onion. Repeat until the ingredients are gone, and garnish with cilantro or mint to serve.

Notes

Cooking Tips:

• Start with fresh, whole spices; this makes all the difference since spices will lose their flavor over time.
• Bone-in chicken is necessary to make Chicken Yakhni Soup. You can use store-bought bone broth if you’re in a pinch, but I don’t recommend it since they use different spices and vegetables than the homemade broth.
• Once the rice start cooking, let it be. Stirring the rice will disturb the grain and cause it to become mushy, and no one wants that.

 

Nutrition Disclosure:

• The nutritional information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for professional advice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Serving | Calories: 538kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 1644mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 7mg

Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and follow @thejamilghar or tag #thejamilghar on Instagram!