The MOST loved recipe on this site, this One Pot Chicken Pulao is weeknight friendly and also great for guests! Tips and tricks for perfect pulao, boneless chicken, and cooking rice in the post.
My forever go-to recipe for Pulao. Forever and ever love! Quickest fix ever! Thankyou Sarah!!
- Maham Ali
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. Actually I kid, what's magical is the taste. I can't get enough and neither can the reviewers below!
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 classic for a reason Chicken Biryani.
Why I make this pulao the MOST
- It is a ONE POT meal.
- It's ready in under 45 minutes
- Best pulao I have ever eaten
- It is SO SIMPLE (more on that below).
Setting yourself up for success: Ingredients matter
Onions: Cooking onions (yellow or red) are best. The sturdy white and sweet vidalia are not your friends here.
Chicken: Bone in is lovely for optimal flavour, but life happens and so I have explained how to sub for boneless a little later in the post.
TIP: if you are getting a small chicken cut from your butcher then "save" the bonier pieces like the neck in your freezer to make delicious stock!
Ginger and Garlic: I highly recommend homemade Ginger Paste and Garlic Paste. You can also grate equivalent amounts of fresh.
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 head start 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.
How to Make the BEST One Pot Pilau
- Step 1: Combine all spices into a large bowl and combine thoroughly with mixture
- Step 2: Form into ball shape with your hands
- Step 3: Press into patties
- Step 4: Cook in oven for x minutes at 400 degrees
- Step 5: Remove and add to serving plate
- Step 6: Assemble and serve!
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:
- Cook the chicken all the way through then put aside to cool and refrigerate overnight. Warm the chicken through the next day and cook the rice fresh. Ain't nothing like that fresh fluffy rice.
- Make the whole pulao and then gently heat in a covered dish in a preheated oven (325 degrees) until it's warmed through.
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.
If you are using boneless breast then add a splash of water when you cover the chicken to cook (half a cup) and simmer for 20 minutes. If the chicken is tender then add the rice, otherwise wait till it is. You want tender, tender, not just cooked.
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?
1) 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 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?
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 !
The BEST One-Pot Chicken Pulao
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups Basmati Rice, washed and soaked.
Pulao Masala
- 1.5-2 lb chicken (bone in, mixed pieces, see notes)
- 3 onions diced
- 1 tbsp garlic paste
- 1.5 tbsp ginger paste
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp whole black pepper
- ½ tbsp cumin seeds
- 1-inch piece cinnamon
- 3 black cardamoms
- 5-6 whole red chillies
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 piece of nutmeg, break/chop into a rough quarters (optional)
- 2 pieces javetri/mace (optional)
- 4-5 whole green chillies
Instructions
- Wash your rice in a few changes of water until it runs clear then soak while you start your pulao.
- Heat a very generous lug of oil in a pot big enough to cook your pulao in
- Add the onions and cook on medium heat till amber
- Now add the chicken and saute until the pieces are all white
- Add all the remaining pulao masala ingredients except the green chillies
- Mix well, saute on medium high heat for two minutes
- Let the masala come to a boil, then simmer on low until the chicken is done. The chicken releases it's own liquid so you shouldn't need to add any unless the masala seems like it will stick/burn.
- When the masala is ready the oil will have risen to the top and the chicken will be tender. This can take anywhere between 25-30 minutes depending on your chicken.
- Once the chicken is done add the rice, green chillies, and 3.5 cups of water to the pot along with 1.5 tsp salt
- Mix well and taste, it should be just a little salty.
- Bring the pulao to a boil and cook partially covered until almost all the water has evaporated then close the lid completely for 5-8 minutes until the remaining moisture has absorbed and the rice is done.
- Gently fluff the rice from the sides and serve with your chutney/raita/achar of choice
Video
Notes
- mace and nutmeg are entirely optional, but I do love the rich notes they add. If you don't have them handy don't worry. If you only have the powders then ¼ tsp of each is good. Taste the masala and add more if you wish before adding the rice
- There is a total of 3.5 tsp of salt in this recipe. I use table salt and in Canada it is far less salty than that in other parts of the world. Please start with less and adjust according to your tastebuds!
- Instructions for cooking boneless chicken in post
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!
Ayesha says
This was an amazing recipe! I made it yesterday and it turned out perfect.
Thank you, your recipes never fail 😀 and they match my taste palette so theyre perfect for me.
Sarah Mir says
That's what I like to hear!!! It is SO nice to connect with like minded (like tasted??? lol) people!
Zainab says
I love pulao, but my husband was never a fan (despite him being a Lahori - shocker, I know!), so I never bothered making the dish for years. I hosted a dinner recently and decided to finally give it a go, and instead of opting for my mum's "andazay se" recipe (LOL) I chose this one. And OH MY GOD when I tell you my pulao-hating husband has been converted! He couldn't stop eating it, said it's the best pulao he's ever had, and everyone else couldn't believe it was my first time making it.
I didn't add the green chilis to make it more kid-friendly, yet the dish was so flavourful and fragrant. Another Flour & Spice recipe that has smashed it out of the park for me!
Sarah Mir says
Best freaking thing to hear!!! I AM THRILLED!!! Thank you!
Samreen Syed says
Ended up making it as a last minute dinner solution, and I gotta say, best decision ever!!
just made one tweak, and made it in the IP to save more time 🙂
Sarah Mir says
SO SO glad to hear that Samreen! Thank you!
Sf says
I’m making this recipe now, but the question I have is regarding doubling it. When I adjust the recipe servings on the website, it adjusts the ingredient list but I’m not sure if I should just double the water and salt as given in the instructions. How much water and salt would I add if I doubled the recipe once I add the rice which would be about 4 cups?
Sarah Mir says
Hi! I just wanted to flag real quick that my recipe calls for 2.5 cups basmati so 4 cups of rice isn't quite doubling it, it's more like increasing by 75% so do bear that in mind. For water that's about 6 cups, for the salt you add with the water that's a little over 2.5 tsp!
Maria says
As someone who has never made pulao in her life when i read the recipe I went in skeptical. Done in under an hour? And in one pot?
Wow was I wrong.
The recipe not only was done in exactly 45 minutes as the card suggested and I didn’t need to use multiple pots!
Amazing!
Such recipe hacks are my favorite.
I’m forever indebted to you for letting us experience pulao without the hassle of
My Nani would be proud.
Sarah Mir says
I am BEYOND grateful for this review. It's exactly what I hoped for when I first shared this recipe - OOFH!!!!
Kika says
Hi Sarah,
Just made this today. Followed the recipe exactly BUT substituted long-grain basmati with a south Indian variety of native red rice (Rajamudy), which my family has come to love thanks to its nutty flavour and texture. As you mentioned in your post, I kept a very close eye on water and having some experience cooking with this rice, I watched it so so closely because it does have a tendency to get mushy if overcooked. It turned out just perfect. So, thank you so much for sharing this beautifully researched and written recipe.
Sarah Mir says
Hi!! Thank you so so much for this review, I also loved hearing about the rice sub! I have close friends who are South Indian and I actually had that very same rice for lunch today and loved your insight on using it for pulao!
Nimrah Awan says
How much oil?
Sarah Mir says
Hi Nimrah! Some of this will depend on patience (less oil, more patience) and the pot. I'd say start with 1/4 cup and add more if needed to caramelize the onions!
Ash Riz says
Epic pulao! Easiest and yummiest!
Sarah Mir says
thank you, thank you!!!!!
Maham Ali says
My forever go-to recipe for Pulao. Forever and ever love! Quickest fix ever! Thankyou Sarah!!
Sarah Mir says
my pleasure! I am SO SO happy you like it maham!