Fill your home with the aroma of authentic chicken yakhni pulao as it simmers on the stovetop. The heart of the meal is the silky yakhni broth that infuses the rice with deep flavor. Layer the rice with tender chicken, caramelized onions, and whole spices to create the perfect for family gatherings and festive occasions like Eid.

What is Chicken Yakhni Pulao?
Chicken yakhni pulao is a flavorful South Asian rice dish made by cooking basmati rice in a spiced chicken broth called yakhni. The broth is infused with fresh, whole spices, giving the rice a deep, aromatic flavor. It’s a comforting, one-pot meal you can serve with a cooling side of raita or a simple chopped kachumber salad for a bright contrast to the savory rice.
For another variation, try mutton yakhni pulao next!
Key Ingredients
- Ghee: Sauté the onions, green chilies, and aromatics in ghee to create a savory base for the broth.
- Onion: Soften yellow onions to flavor the broth and caramelize more onions to layer in and garnish the rice.
- Whole Spices: To enhance the flavor of the yakhni, use a blend of spices—a cinnamon stick, black cloves, black cardamom pods, green cardamom pods, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, dried bay leaves, and star anise. I prefer to gather the spices in a spice ball or wrap them in cheesecloth to make them easier to remove later.
- Garlic and Ginger: You will need about ten garlic cloves and a 3-inch piece of fresh ginger for the yakhni and the pulao masala.
- Green Chili Pepper: You will need six whole chilies for a heat that doesn’t overwhelm the dish—jalapeño, serrano, or Thai peppers— chop them up for more heat.
- Chicken: Use a 2-3 pound chicken to make this chicken yakhni pulao recipe. If you don’t have a whole chicken, that’s okay. Use a combination of bone-in chicken like thighs, drumsticks, and leg quarters.
- Salt: Add kosher salt to season the broth and rice.
- Basmati Rice: What’s the secret to the best pulao? Rinse and soak the fragrant basmati rice (the longer, the better)—soaking the rice is the key to getting the long, silky grain of fragrant rice you expect from pulao.
- Garnish: Finish the dish with a little garam masala and chopped cilantro and mint leaves. You can also add a few drops of kewra water or rose water to enhance the aroma (a little goes a long way).
How to Make Chicken Yakhni Pulao
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
For the Chicken Yakhni
I usually prepare yakhni in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker to reduce the cooking time. You can make the broth in a Dutch oven or stockpot. Follow the instructions below, but simmer the ingredients over medium heat for at least 1 hour for the best results.
Step 1: Warm ghee in an Instant Pot on saute mode. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies, and a cinnamon stick. Sauté until the onions soften, for 8-10 minutes.

Step 2: While the onions soften, combine the whole spices in a spice ball and set it aside.

Step 3: Rinse the whole chicken and add it to the Instant Pot with the kosher salt and water.

Step 4: Nestle the spice ball with whole spices into the pot. Secure the lid and set it to manual high pressure for 20 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.

What does natural release mean?
Natural release on the Instant Pot means allowing the pressure inside the pot to gradually decrease on its own after cooking finishes, without manually opening the pressure release valve. This process takes 10–30 minutes, depending on the amount of liquid inside the pot.
As the pressure decreases, the float valve will drop, signaling that it’s safe to open the lid. Natural release is ideal for soups, stews, or liquid-heavy recipes to prevent splattering.
For the Pulao
Step 1: Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and set it aside for 5-10 minutes to cool. Use a sharp knife to separate it into legs, thighs, and breasts. Set the chicken aside.

Step 2: Remove the spice ball and pour the chicken stock through a fine mesh strainer into a large mixing bowl. Reserve 2½ cups of the broth and store the rest.

Step 3: Warm ghee in a preheated Dutch Oven over low-medium heat and add the onions. Sauté until the onions are golden brown and crispy, for about 20-25 minutes.

Step 4: Meanwhile, wash the rice through a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Transfer the rice to a large bowl, cover it with water, and soak it for at least 30 minutes.

Step 5: Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate with paper towels. In the same pot, sauté the cumin seeds and green chilies until they sputter. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Step 6: Drain the rice water and add the rice to the Dutch oven with 2½ cups of the prepared yakhni. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, reduce to medium, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the yakhni is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Step 7: Remove the rice from the heat. Add a layer of the reserved chicken to the bottom of a serving dish. Top the chicken with a layer of yakhni-infused rice, followed by some of the caramelized onions. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Garnish with garam masala, chopped cilantro, and mint. Cover with a lid and set it aside to steam for 10-15 minutes before serving.


Expert Tips
- Bone-in chicken is a must. While you can substitute for boneless chicken in other recipes, this is not one of them. You need whole chicken or bone-in chicken pieces to flavor the yakhni and give the rice its silky, smooth texture.
- Use fresh spices. Spices lose their flavor over time, so start with fresh whole spices for the best results. It may seem small, but it makes all the difference.
- Strain the yakhni. I keep the spices in a spice ball for easy retrieval. However, I recommend straining the yakhni through a fine mesh strainer to remove aromatics, loose spices, and impurities for a smooth bone broth to cook the rice.
- Prepare the rice. Good pulao starts with good rice. Begin by rinsing the rice under cold water until it runs clear to remove excess starch, which helps prevent the grains from sticking together while cooking. After rinsing, soak the rice in clean water for at least 30 minutes.
If you enjoy chicken yakhni pulao, try more Pakistani recipes!

Serving Suggestions
Chicken yakhni pulao is a delicious one-pot meal. Cool it down with cucumber raita, or crank up the heat with your favorite chutney, like serrano crema.
I enjoy serving the rice dish with fresh sidings like lemon wedges, sliced onions, sumac cucumbers, or a chopped kachumber salad to brighten the meal.
If you’re making chicken pulao for a dawat or special occasion, complete the spread with beef Seekh kabobs, chicken salan, nalli nihari, or aloo gosht.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Refrigerate: If by some miracle you end up with leftovers, store them in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Leftover yakhni soup will stay fresh for 1-2 days.
- Freeze: Let the rice dish cool and transfer it to a freezer-safe container or bag. Chicken yakhni pulao and leftover yakhni broth will freeze for 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the rice and chicken in the refrigerator overnight.
- Reheat: Warm single servings in the microwave or transfer all the leftovers to a baking dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350℉ (176℃) for 15-20 minutes until heated through.
- How can I use leftover yakhni? Depending on my workout, I sip bone broth daily for at least one of my meals. Fill your favorite mug with the bone broth, and enjoy it as a soup. Top it with fresh lemon juice, chopped cilantro, green chilies, and julienne ginger—it’s so good! You can also use the broth as a base for soup or stew recipes like chicken noodle soup, Instant Pot arroz caldo, chicken and dumpling soup, or Instant Pot tortellini soup.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between yakhni pulao and other pulao recipes?
Yakhni pulao stands out from other pulao recipes because the rice cooks in a rich, homemade broth called yakhni. This broth is made by simmering bone-in chicken, lamb, beef, or goat meat with onions, garlic, ginger, and aromatic spices, giving the rice a unique taste, aroma, and silky texture.
Without yakhni or bone broth, other pulao variations rely on whole spices, sautéed aromatics, vegetables, and water to flavor the rice.
What is the difference between yakhni pulao and biryani?
Yakhni pulao and biryani are both South Asian rice dishes, but they differ in preparation and flavor. Yakhni pulao features long-grained rice simmered in a spiced bone broth or yakhni, resulting in a uniformly aromatic flavor.
In contrast, biryani has a more complex flavor created by layers of marinated meat, whole spices, and aromatics cooked with basmati rice for a bold and flavorful dish.
What’s the best rice for pulao?
The best rice for pulao is long-grain basmati rice. Its slender grains stay separate once cooked, making it the perfect choice for pulao. It has a delicate aroma and absorbs the yakhni without sticking together, creating a light and fluffy rice dish.
For the best results, rinse the rice thoroughly to remove excess starch and soak it for about 20-30 minutes before cooking. This helps the grains expand and remain distinct.
What is the best rice to broth ratio?
The ideal rice-to-broth ratio for pulao is 1:2—one cup of rice to two cups of yakhni. This ensures the rice absorbs enough liquid to cook through while staying fluffy and separate.
More Chicken Recipes:

Chicken Yakhni Pulao
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
- 6 garlic cloves, lightly crushed
- 2 -inch knob of ginger, thinly sliced
- 2-3 green chili peppers, slit lengthwise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 black cloves
- 4 black cardamom
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 1½ teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 star anise
- 2-3 pound whole chicken or bone-in chicken legs and thighs
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 6 cups water
- ¼ cup ghee
- 2 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 green chili peppers, slit lengthwise
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 – inch knob of ginger, grated
- 2 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked
- 2½ cups yakhni, reserved from the chicken yakhni
- cilantro leaves, chopped
- mint leaves, chopped
For the Chicken Yakhni:
- Warm ghee in an Instant Pot on saute mode. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, green chilies, and a cinnamon stick. Sauté until the onions soften, for 8-10 minutes.
- While the onions soften, combine the whole spices in a spice ball and set it aside.6 black cloves, 4 black cardamom, 2 green cardamom pods, 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, 1½ teaspoons coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, 2 dried bay leaves, 1 star anise, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- Rinse the whole chicken and add it to the Instant Pot with the kosher salt and water.
- Nestle the spice ball with whole spices into the pot. Secure the lid and set it to manual high pressure for 20 minutes with a 10-minute natural release.
For the Pulao:
- Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and set it aside for 5-10 minutes to cool. Use a sharp knife to separate it into legs, thighs, and breasts. Set the chicken aside.
- Remove the spice ball and pour the chicken stock through a fine mesh strainer into a large mixing bowl. Reserve 2½ cups of the broth and store the rest.
- Warm ghee in a preheated Dutch Oven over low-medium heat and add the onions. Sauté until the onions are golden brown and crispy, for about 20-25 minutes.
- Meanwhile, wash the rice through a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear. Transfer the rice to a large bowl, cover it with water, and soak it for at least 30 minutes.
- Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a plate with paper towels. In the same pot, sauté the cumin seeds and green chilies until they sputter. Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes.
- Drain the rice water and add the rice to the Dutch oven with 2½ cups of the prepared yakhni. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Then, reduce to medium, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the yakhni is absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Remove the rice from the heat. Add a layer of the reserved chicken to the bottom of a serving dish. Top the chicken with a layer of yakhni-infused rice, followed by some of the caramelized onions. Repeat with the remaining ingredients. Garnish with garam masala, chopped cilantro, and mint. Cover with a lid and set it aside to steam for 10-15 minutes before serving.
- Bone-in chicken is a must. While you can substitute for boneless chicken in other recipes, this is not one of them. You need whole chicken or bone-in chicken pieces to flavor the yakhni and give the rice its silky, smooth texture.
- Use fresh spices. Spices lose their flavor over time, so start with fresh whole spices for the best results. It may seem small, but it makes all the difference.
- Strain the yakhni. I keep the spices in a spice ball for easy retrieval. However, I recommend straining the yakhni through a fine mesh strainer to remove aromatics, loose spices, and impurities for a smooth bone broth to cook the rice.
- Prepare the rice. Good pulao starts with good rice. Begin by rinsing the rice under cold water until it runs clear to remove excess starch, which helps prevent the grains from sticking together while cooking. After rinsing, soak the rice in clean water for at least 30 minutes.
Shahzad
Friday 26th of May 2023
Great recipe. Good flavor and hearty. Can't ask for more.
Sara Khan
Friday 26th of May 2023
This Chicken Yakhni Pulao recipe is a gem! The aromatic spices and tender chicken perfectly complemented the fragrant basmati rice. The yakhni infusion took the flavors to a whole new level. It's a fantastic dish to impress guests at family gatherings. Bravo!
Ali
Friday 26th of May 2023
I tried this Chicken Yakhni Pulao recipe for the first time, and it instantly transported me to the streets of South Asia! The yakhni-infused rice was incredibly fragrant and the chicken was tender and flavorful. The crispy fried onions added a delightful crunch. A true culinary masterpiece!