Quick and Easy Chicken Pulao (Step by Step Recipe)

Posted on | April 4, 2010 | 26 Comments |

Chicken Pulao

Yeah, I know my last post was all about SBD and now here I am posting a pulao recipe, I do get the irony. I am all set to start my diet tomorrow, so we can just call this my pre-diet indulgence. In reality this was just a bi-product of extreme laziness, hunger and an ill-stocked refrigerator. All I had in the fridge when I woke up hungry this morning were a few chicken thighs and a pulao seemed like the best option for a one-pot no-fuss Sunday lunch.

I am still not very sure about the difference between a pulao and biryani, but recently I saw a couple of blogs clearing this up with the following explanation. If the rice and meat are prepared separately and then layered to finish up the cooking, it is called a biryani and if the rice is cooked along with the meat, it is called a pulao. I don’t know if this is the correct explanation, but it sounds good to me. Moreover I have posted many biryani recipes here already and not even a single pulao recipe. And now that I think about it, some of my biryani recipes might in fact be pulao. But what’s in a name right? You call call this chicken rice for all I care, but it sure is a handy recipe when you have to fix up a one-pot-dish in a jiff.

Ingredients

Chicken thighs, bone-in, skin removed – ~1 lb (three thighs)
1.5 cups basmati rice
1 tbsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
1” cinnamon stick
2 star anise
3 cardamom pods
3 cloves
2 cups thinly sliced shallots
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tbsp white vinegar
Fried onions and fried cashew nuts for garnish (optional)

Method

Prep: Wash the rice thoroughly and soak for at least 30 minutes. Cut each of thighs into 4-6 pieces, depending on the size, wash and dry with paper towels.

Step 1: Add the red chili powder, pepper, turmeric powder, ginger paste, garlic paste and salt to chicken pieces and mix well to combine. Marinate for 15-30 minutes. step1JPG

Step 2: Place a deep pan on the stove, pour the oil and let it heat. Now add the cinnamon, star anise, cardamom and cloves and fry for a minute. step2

Step 3: Add the sliced shallots to the pan and mix well.
step3

Step 4: Sauté the shallots till they start to brown. step4

Step 5: Add the marinated chicken pieces to the pan and mix well.
step5

Step 6: Cook the chicken pieces for 8-10 minutes on high heat, stirring frequently till the spices are cooked through and the mixture starts to brown. step6

Step 7: Add the yogurt and mix well.
step7

Step 8: Continue cooking for 2 minutes till the yogurt is well incorporated into the mixture. step8

Step 9: Drain the soaked rice from the water and add to the pan.
step9

Step 10: Fold in the rice gently taking care not to break the rice to combine the ingredients well. step10

Step 11: Add 3 cups of hot water along with 1 tbsp vinegar to the pan.
step11

Step 12: Bring the liquid to a boil on high heat, cover with a tight fitting lid and reduce the heat to the lowest setting. step12

Step 13: Cook for 20 minutes covered. Don’t remove the lid and check on it in the middle. After 20 minutes, open the lid, all the liquid must be absorbed by now and the rice will be cooked through.
step13

Step 14: Gently shake the pan to mix up the pulao. Keep it uncovered for 5 minutes so that the steam escapes. step14

Step 15: Serve hot garnished with fried onions and fried cashews. ChickenPulao

Now, wasn’t that an easy recipe? This goes well with a side of raita or plain yogurt. If you are in the mood, fry up some papads and boil some eggs too, to make it a bit more festive.

Category: Chicken, Rice Or Biryani

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Comments

26 Responses to “Quick and Easy Chicken Pulao (Step by Step Recipe)”

nags
April 4th, 2010 @ 6:14 pm
Reply

Definitely easy and looks super yummy!
Arch
April 4th, 2010 @ 8:23 pm
Reply

This looks great and sounds fairly simple – perfect for a Sunday lunch !!
arundati
April 4th, 2010 @ 10:11 pm
Reply

Definitely easy and yummy by the looks of it… i too dont get the puritanical fuss about biryani and pulav… in the south of india, any kind of rice cooked with masalas tends to be called biryani… i am religiously following your one whistle in the pressure cooker method with awesome results… have never had an overcooked rice dish after this! thanks…and glad you are feeling better….good luck with sbd…whew…loooong comment no?
Sra
April 5th, 2010 @ 1:01 am
Reply

Sigh! You know what happened to my biriyani, so yours looks all the more appetising, esp the liberal use of nuts. Btw, those were pandan leaves, not banana leaves.
Happy Cook
April 5th, 2010 @ 1:21 am
Reply

You can serve this to me any time of the day.
I woudn’t mind getting awake to the smell of this.
Shreya
April 5th, 2010 @ 4:45 am
Reply

So simple. Loved the preparation! Looks absolutely yummy, have to try this!
Shreya
April 5th, 2010 @ 4:49 am
Reply

If you really need to know:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilaf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biryani

PS: I haven’t read the contents in the two pages, and frankly, I too don’t know the difference, and never mind much as long as the dish is satisfying.
notyet100
April 5th, 2010 @ 5:47 am
Reply

wow this looks delicious…
Sashi
April 5th, 2010 @ 5:56 am
Reply

Mouthwatering recipe.. absolutely delicious, love them with raitha. Never have tried pulao with chicken, must try sometime soon.
Soma
April 5th, 2010 @ 7:22 am
Reply

you are a temptress This is the kind which makes our weekend luxury meals too.. Mmmm the nuts and the onions elevates a simple recipe to a different level.
saswati
April 5th, 2010 @ 7:39 am
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hey Sig long time!! I like your theory of biryaani and pulao…till date my idea od biryani and pulao is same as you…the biryani errrr pulao:P looks perfect.I took a long break from blogging due to my younger one’s arrival but now back to blogging again .cheers!
anudivya
April 5th, 2010 @ 8:18 am
Reply

The step-by-step looks neat. I prolly would have to make it with veggies though. As long as it tastes good, I can live with calling it a pulao or a biriyani.
Rina
April 5th, 2010 @ 8:18 am
Reply

Cool cool.. lovely demo..bookmarked..
Santhiya
April 5th, 2010 @ 1:21 pm
Reply

Call me novice! How does “1 tbsp vinegar to the pan” helps here? It’s just the pictures looks so inviting, I would like to really this out.
Also, GOOD LUCK on the SBD!!
Sig
April 5th, 2010 @ 4:40 pm
Reply

Santhiya, vinegar adds a slight sour kick to the biryani. You can skip it if you don’t have it on hand.
-Sig
Robyn
April 6th, 2010 @ 5:42 am
Reply

Yum – what a divine midweek meal idea.
subhie
April 11th, 2010 @ 5:05 am
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wow..pulao looks too tempting……nice presentation too..frst time here..u hv wonderful collection..glad to follow u!
Miri
April 12th, 2010 @ 1:15 am
Reply

Looks absolutely delicious – I had posted recently too on the whole biryani vs pulao discussion which Vir Sanghvi has been having for the past year now. I am not a purist by an stretch of imagination, but some of the pulaos I have tasted are way better than much touted biryanis – I guess it all boils down to one’s taste.

Miri
Rg
April 12th, 2010 @ 10:27 am
Reply

I’m in a lazy mood today. So I’m gonna try this one pot meal with brown rice. thanks for the step by step recipe.
Radhika Vasanth
April 12th, 2010 @ 1:34 pm
Reply

This is a pure indulgence Sig. Even I don’t understand the difference between pulao and biriyani. I was assuming that using simple spices like ginger, garlic without the powder stuffs makes a pulao
Cynthia
April 12th, 2010 @ 5:48 pm
Reply

Oh my goodness, you took step-by-step pics – totally appreciated hon! I know it can get in the way of actual cooking.
Priya
July 22nd, 2010 @ 7:51 am
Reply

When you add the chicken to the onion mix, shouldn’t water be added to cook the chicken. Just had a doubt that whether the rice was entirely cooked with chicken or cooked rice only was added??
- sig
  July 22nd, 2010 @ 7:54 am
  Reply
  
  Hi Priya, when the chicken is first added, you are just browning it, not boiling. So no, no need to add water there. Also, soaked raw rice is added, not cooked. It should be clear from the step-by-step pics, right? Water is added only in step 11.
Shahrukh
January 17th, 2011 @ 11:53 am
Reply

The step by step pictures made it too simple and easy.I tried it and it was really good.
Thank you.
Shahrukh.
Gauri
July 23rd, 2011 @ 10:28 pm
Reply

Hi !
Came across ur blog while looking for a chicken pulao recipe.
Instinctively knew I had to make this one !!!
Awesome recipe…….everyone loved it….and I love the simplicity and the perfection in it.
Thanx for sharing.
All the best !!!
Macmini
June 24th, 2012 @ 5:37 am
Reply

Hey, this recipe requires ~1 lb of chicken ? What do you mean by ~1 ? Is it 1/2 or 1 lb ?