Easy Chicken Pulao
This simple chicken pulao recipe is quick to make and is a one pot meal. Made with mild Indian flavours this is great for a causal lunch or family dinner.
Equipment
- Large deep saucepan with lid
- Large sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Kitchen scales
- Measuring cups or jug
- Wooden spoon
- Grater
Ingredients
- 400 grams (2 cups) basmati rice
- 350 grams (12 oz) chicken thigh fillets skinless and boneless
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 100 grams (1 medium) brown onion diced
- Small handful of fresh curry leaves 1 small spring of about 16 leaves
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated (can also use bottled ginger)
- 3 garlic cloves minced or grated
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- 300 grams (2 medium) tomatoes seeds removed and finely diced
- 70 grams (½ cup) peas fresh or frozen
- 3 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves chopped
- 750 ml (3 cups) chicken stock or 3 cups water and 2 ½ teaspoons chicken stock powder
- Salt to taste
Garnish (optional)
- Toasted slivered almonds
- Slices of hard boiled eggs
- Chopped fresh coriander
Instructions
- Wash the basmati rice under running water, until it the water runs clear. Drain well and put aside.
- Remove as much of the fat from the chicken thigh fillets as you can. Cut into tiny cubes, lightly season with salt. Put aside for later
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan, then on medium low heat fry the onion until lightly golden brown.
- The add the curry leaves, grated ginger, garlic, coriander powder, and chilli powder, fry on low heat for 1 -2 minutes.
- Add the chicken, turn up the heat, frying for 2-3 minutes, while stirring the chicken into the spices until well coated.
- Continue to cook on high heat. Add the diced tomato, peas and mix well, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen anything that may be stuck to the bottom.
- Add the drained rice, gently stir to mix everything.
- Add the coriander leaves, chicken stock (or water and stock powder if using) and gently mix. Taste the liquid and adjust the seasoning.
- Bring to the boil, lower the heat, cover with a tight-fitting lid, cook on low heat for 25 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, remove the lid, use a fork to rake and fluff the rice, replace the lid and let the rice stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
TIPS
- Always wash the rice well. Washing the grains removes most of the starch from the grains and this will stop the rice from becoming sticky and mushy.
- If you can get fresh curry leaves use them but, if you cannot get fresh the next best thing would be to use frozen. If you are having a really hard time finding curry leaves the recipe can be made without them and will still taste nice.
- Make sure to remove the seeds from the tomatoes. The seeds and their pulp are full of moisture and if you don’t remove them you will be adding extra liquid to the recipe which can make the rice gluggy.
- You want to taste and season the liquid before putting the lid on the pot and cooking the rice. This is because, the rice will be absorbed and take on the favours of the liquid. I like to slightly over season the rice because, I find that the cooked rice can be lacking in flavour if you don’t.
- This rice is not yellow like some other chicken pulao recipes. This is because, we aren’t using turmeric powder in the recipe. If you wanted a yellow colour to the rice, add ½ – 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder when you add the coriander and chili powder.
- For a richer dish you could replace ½ – 1 cup of stock/water with coconut milk.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 486kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 20gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 61mgSodium: 237mgPotassium: 518mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 668IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!