Chicken Pulao is a comforting one-pot dish that is surprising easy to make and is really satisfying to eat. Serve it with raita and boiled eggs and have a truly tasty meal.
If you love chicken biryani, you will enjoy chicken pulao. It is definitely a poor man's version of chicken biryani but that does not mean that it is less flavourful.
It just is way easier to cook. Surprise your family with it for a weeknight dinner. Here's my recipe of chicken pulao:


Easy Chicken Pulao Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken pieces with bone or 500 gm.
- 2 cups basmati rice washed and soaked for half an hour in water
- 2 onions sliced thin
- 2 tbsp. ghee or clarified butter
- 4 cloves
- 10 peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon
- 2 mace
- 2 green cardamom
Marinade for chicken
- 2 tbsp. ginger garlic paste
- 1 tbsp. paprika for colour
- 1 tbsp. cayenne or chilli powder optional
- 1 tbsp. tandoori chicken powder or garam masala
- 3 tbsp. Greek yogurt or thick Indian curd
- 1 tbsp. mint chopped
- 1 tbsp. cilantro leaves chopped
- 2 tsp. ghee or oil
- 1 tablespoon dry fenugreek or kasuri methi optional
- salt to taste
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Instructions
- Mix together all the marinade ingredients and make a paste. Marinate chicken pieces in it for an hour.
- Heat ghee in a kadhai/thick bottom pan. Put in all the whole spices and cook for a minute. .
- Add the sliced onions and fry them till they are dark golden in colour
- Add the marinated chicken and fry for about 4-5 minutes stirring continuously.
- Add the soaked and drained basmati rice and gently mix.
- Add water to cover chicken and rice. Add more salt for the rice.
- Now cover and cook for about 30 minutes till the chicken and rice are well cooked.
- Garnish with some chopped cilantro and mint and serve hot.
- Your delicious chicken pulao is ready to eat.
Notes
Nutrition

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Parul Thakur says
Your blog is my one stop place for recipes. I don’t cook but I know when I have to, here is where I come ? this one is doable, Rachna! I so want to pick up a house near you ?
Vinitha says
This recipe looks easy to prepare. I make chicken biryani and the steps are a little more elaborate. Next time when I crave for chicken dish I will try this one. Thanks Rachna.
Prakash says
Light and tasty
Rachna says
Thank you