Chicken pulao is another variety of Indian rice dishes popular among almost every non vegetarian food lover. It is a quick recipe compared to that of a biryani but almost equally delicious and aromatic. This dish is available in almost all restaurants and is very easy to cook at home too.

Ingredients

• Boneless chicken, cut into moderate size pieces                  200 grams
• Long grain basmati rice, washed & soaked for 1 hour          1 cup
• Onion, chopped into slices                                                  1 medium
• Ginger paste                                                                      1 tablespoon
• Garlic paste                                                                       1 tablespoon
• Green chilies, slit into halves lengthwise                             2
• Fresh Coriander, chopped                                                   1 tablespoon
• Bay leaf                                                                             1
• Cloves                                                                               4 – 5
• Black pepper corns                                                            6 – 8
• Green cardamoms                                                             2
• Black cardamom                                                                1
• Cumin seeds                                                                      1 tablespoon
• Crushed Black pepper                                                         ½ teaspoon
• Red chili powder                                                                ½ teaspoon
• Turmeric powder (optional)                                                2 teaspoons
• Coriander powder                                                              1 tablespoon
• Garam masala                                                                    1 teaspoon
• Salt                                                                                    To taste
• Curd, beaten                                                                       ½ cup
• Ghee or oil                                                                          2 tablespoons
• Onions, fried and dried for garnish                                      1 tablespoon

Procedure

1. Take chicken pieces in a bowl add little salt and crushed black pepper. Mix and rub all chicken pieces and keep aside for a while.
2. Put a deep pan with ghee on medium heat.
3. Add bay leaf, cloves, black pepper corns, green cardamom, black cardamom and cumin seeds. When cumin seeds start crackling, add chopped onion slices and stir fry them until they are translucent.
4. Add ginger paste and garlic paste and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes so as to remove the raw flavors then add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander seeds powder and garam masala. Stir fry for few seconds more.
5. Add chicken pieces mix well and cook for 10 minutes covered with lid. Keep on checking and stirring in between.
6. Open the lid and add chopped green coriander leaves and split green chilies, stir for 2 minutes then add beaten curd, mix and cook until it releases oil from sides.
7. Now add soaked rice and stir fry mixing all for two minutes. Then pour in 1-3/4 cups of water, also add salt to taste.
8. Mix it and when water starts boiling lower the heat to minimum and cover the pan. Let it cook covered for around 10 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
9. Turn off the heat and let it remain covered for next 15 minutes.
10. Transfer chicken pulao onto a serving platter and garnish with brown onions.
11. Serve hot with flavored curd or raita.

Preparation Time: 40 minutes

Serves: 2