Chicken Yakhni Pulao
چکن یخنی پلاؤ
Yakhni pulao is the gentler cousin of biryani: no layers, no heavy masala, just rice cooked in a well-made chicken . It turns up at weddings, Friday lunches and dawats across Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, usually next to a bowl of raita and shami kebabs. The flavour comes almost entirely from the stock, so this version simmers the chicken with plenty of whole spices first and then lets the rice drink every drop of it.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 35 min
- Prep: 20 min
- Cook: 1 hr 15 min
- Medium
- Serves 6
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Make the : put the chicken, 7 cups of water, the halved onion, whole garlic, sliced ginger, coriander seeds, peppercorns, black cardamom and cinnamon in a large . Bring to a boil on high heat and skim off the grey foam that rises.
Lower the heat, half cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the stock smells rich. Strain it, keep the chicken pieces aside and discard the spices. You should have about 4½ cups of yakhni; top up with water if short.
Wipe out the pot and heat the oil over medium heat. Fry the sliced onions, stirring often, for 8–10 minutes until golden.
Add the (cumin, cloves, green cardamom, bay leaves) and let them sizzle for 30 seconds. Stir in the for a minute, then add the boiled chicken and yogurt and fry for 4–5 minutes until the yogurt dries and the oil shows.
Pour in 4½ cups of the hot yakhni, add the salt and green chilies and bring to a rolling boil. Taste: it should be slightly saltier than soup.
Add the drained rice and stir once, gently. Boil uncovered on high heat for 8–10 minutes, without stirring, until the liquid has dropped below the rice and small steam holes appear on the surface.
Put the pot on : cover tightly, with a cloth or foil under the lid, and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Put a tawa under the pot if your flame is strong.
Switch off the heat and leave it closed for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice gently with a fork from the sides and serve hot with raita.
Kitchen notes
Measure the yakhni, don't guess. For soaked basmati, 1½ cups of liquid per cup of rice gives separate, fully cooked grains.
Once the rice goes in, stop stirring. Every stir breaks a few grains and makes the pulao sticky.
Add a few chicken necks or backs to the stock if you can. Bones are what give yakhni its body.
A pulao built on its stock
Yakhni pulao is everyday celebration food. It is lighter than biryani and kinder to people who don’t like a lot of chili, which is why it is often the second rice dish at a wedding and the first one at a Friday family lunch. In Peshawar and much of Punjab it is the default rice for guests, served with raita, a simple salad and sometimes shami kebabs on the side.
Because there is no masala to hide behind, the carries the whole dish. Bone-in chicken, whole coriander, peppercorns, black cardamom and a good piece of cinnamon give a stock that smells of spice without tasting heavy.
Absorption and dum
This is an absorption pulao: the soaked rice goes into a measured amount of boiling stock and cooks until the liquid disappears. Keep the heat high at that stage so the water evaporates quickly and the grains don’t sit and soften. When you see little craters on the surface and the rice looks almost dry, it is time for . The sealed pot traps steam that finishes the top layer gently while the bottom stays unburnt.
Variations
- Mutton yakhni pulao: the classic Peshawari version, with a longer-simmered stock.
- Fried onion garnish: keep a handful of the fried onions aside and scatter them on top before serving.
- Chickpeas: a cup of boiled chickpeas added with the stock makes the pot go further.
Storing and reheating
Pulao keeps for 2 days in the fridge. Sprinkle a little water over it and reheat covered on low heat, or in the microwave with a damp paper towel on top, so the rice steams back to softness instead of drying out.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between yakhni pulao and biryani?
In pulao the rice is cooked from raw in a measured amount of stock until it absorbs it all. In biryani the rice is boiled separately in lots of water, drained and layered over a spicy masala.
Why is my pulao undercooked on top?
The dum was not sealed well, so the steam escaped. Sprinkle 2–3 tablespoons of hot yakhni or water over the top, seal tightly and give it 5–8 more minutes on the lowest heat.
Can I make it with mutton?
Yes. Use bone-in mutton and simmer the yakhni for 1½–2 hours, or about 40 minutes in a pressure cooker, until the meat is tender. The rest of the method is the same.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 630
- Protein
- 32 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Carbs
- 80 g
