You know what’s almost magical about this Chicken Pulao? It’s that once you make this Chicken Pilau every time you think of it, it’s beautiful aroma automatically floods your senses. Also if you are as big a fan of easy Pakistani Chicken Recipes as I am you’ve got to try this scrumptious Pakistani Chicken Ginger and this weekday staple Chicken Masala! Rice fan? Then check out this simplified Chicken Biryani. A quick thank you to Bajias Cooking on YouTube from whom I adapted this recipe!
Why I make this pulao the MOST
Ingredients in Chicken Pulao or Chicken Pilau
Okay let’s do a little ingredient walk through - shall we? Onions: White or Red, upto you. I prefer white because they tend to cook and cook down faster. Chicken: Please note I haven’t tried this with any other protein Spices: Coriander, Whole pepper, Cumin Seeds, Salt. Pretty straightforward Chilies: fresh green and dried whole red - trust me, it works! You get the flavour without overwhelming heat! Ginger and Garlic: I highly recommend homemade Ginger Paste and Garlic Paste. You can also grate equivalent amounts of fresh. Nutmeg: I crack one big piece but you can put in ¼ tsp of the powder, less is more here! Mace: 2 small pieces or ¼ tsp powder, if you put too much the pulao gets an acrid taste Bay leaves: 1 big dried or two smaller ones. Basmati Rice: VERY important. Please don’t use any other kind.
4 Tips for Perfect Pulao
1.) Wash and Soak your rice. When you wash your rice (rinse it a few times with water) you get rid of excess starch and when you soak it you give it a headstart on fluffiness. 2.) Beautiful caramel onions. Onions are the flavor base of this pulao, don’t be shy to build colour and if you feel like you went a little too far then add a splash of water and immediately stop the process! 3. Tender Chicken: Chicken is a funny protein. It cooks right away and then overcooks right away. Let it simmer in this beautiful masala bath so it pushes past the point of chewy (especially for chicken breasts). Tip Four: Pay attention when cooking the rice and follow the instructions to make sure your rice is just right. Lots on that below.
Making Pulao Ahead
I get asked often if you can make this chicken pulao (or chicken pilau) ahead for dawats/ dinner parties. Yes folks, it is dinner party good. And yes, you absolutely can make it a day in advance. Here are two ways to do that:
Can I use boneless chicken for this Pulao?
This is where I am supposed to wax eloquent about the rich flavours of bone in meat, but friends let me tell you - if there was ever a pulao you would relish even with white meat it is this one. I make it often enough with white meat chicken and you could certainly use dark meat as well. Does the flavor change? Of course. Bone in chicken results in a pulao with more richness and depth, but trust me the boneless version is quite tasty! Boneless thigh is forgiving, but boneless breast requires a little doing because it can dry out.
Why does my rice come out … (insert adjective)
Why does my rice come out mushy?
In a nutshell it is overcooked which is because there was either too much water or too long a cooking time. Once your rice is overcooked it is hard to ‘fix’. However here are two simple tips for avoiding overcooked rice. Desi totka alert ok?
- Make sure the water in the pot is only so much that when you put your index finger in it only reaches the first of the lines inside your fingers. This is a tip my SIL whose an incredible cook passed on to me and I swear by it. From there on boil it till your water level falls below the rice and steam and cook the rest of the way. 2)If you feel that the water is still more than you’d like then you have two choices, crank the heat HIGH to evaporate it faster without sacrificing any of the flavour in the water or simply skim some off the top. I won’t tell if you wont. If you decide to crank the water up just watch the pot carefully ok?
Why does my rice come out hard?
This is where I tell you that the age old practice of how much to cook rice has failed me. I would always hear that we should cook rice until you can see a white dot in the middle. Preosaked rice btw is also less likely to be hard. More soaking info below
Why does my rice not look fluffy?
9 times out of 10 it is because you did not presoak your rice. The 30 minute lazing in a water bath really helps the rice tenderize and cook better. If you skip it the texture of the grain will not be the safe. You didn’t fluff it. Strange but true. If you don’t open your pot and gently fluff the rice after the chicken pilau is done you run the risk of it (pardon the unattractive word) congealing.
What do I serve with Chicken Pulao?
Well since you asked (or I imagined that you did) if you served this chicken pulao with a simple green raita or even this sabzi one (be still my beating heart), a garlic chutney or achari michein, and shami kabab or kachay keemay ke kabab we would be besties for life. Let’s be besties ok?
Pakistani Chicken Pulao Video
If you make this recipe do take a few seconds to rate it! I would love to see your recreations so tag me on instagram @flourandspiceblog ! Update: this post was updated in October of 2022 to better explain the steps and add a video. If you are wondering if this is the same Hyderabadi Chicken Pulao recipe you’ve made before that looked as below then you’re in the right place!
