I adore biryani any time of the day! However, preparing biryani requires a lot of energy and effort. So, on those days when I want to take it easy, I whip up a delicious pulao biryani instead. This delightful dish is essentially a spiced pulao that captures the essence of biryani. It’s incredibly easy to make, yet it still delivers the same wonderful flavors and aromatic experience.

Ingredients for chicken pulao biryani

Rice
I make pulao with aged long-grain basmati rice. If basmati rice is not available then other kinds of rice can also be used.

Mutton or Chicken
In this recipe, I have used chicken. I also make this recipe with mutton and I make yakhni/soup in an instant pot but for chicken, all of the spices and chicken can be added to the onion mixture directly. No need to make a separate yakhni.

Biryani Masala
I used ready made biryani masala. Make sure to use less salt as biryani masala is already salty. Taste test the salt after adding water to the chicken,

Onions
I used thinly sliced yellow onions and they are perfect for the pulao. Thinly slicing onions is important as it will help in the caramelization of the onions.

Rice to water ratio and soaking the rice

For every 1 cup of rice use 1.5 cups of water. This rice-to-water ratio works perfectly for any rice dish made on a stovetop or if rice is soaked for at least 30 minutes before cooking.
Soaking the rice for 30 minutes helps the rice grain to plump after absorbing a little bit of water so it can fluff and cook better.

How to store leftover rice?

I store cooked rice in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a couple of weeks. It’s best to divide it into smaller portions for easy reheating.

Chicken Pulao Biryani or Spicy Pulao

Chicken Pulao Biryani is an alternative to biryani, it has the qualities of both a biryani and a delectable pulao. Less time and dishes but the spiciness of biryani with fluffy rice and few utensils.

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani

Keyword: Chicken Pulao Biryani, spicy pulao

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 8

Author: Saba

Ingredients

• 2 cups aged long-grain basmati rice rinsed and soaked for 30 mins
• 1 medium onion thinly sliced
• 3 cups Water
• 1 lbs Chicken
• 1 tsp Salt adjust it after tasting
• 1 tbsp Ginger paste
• 1 tbsp Garlic paste
• 3 tbsp Biryani masala biryani masala has salt in it
• 1 large Tomato
• 1/2 cup Yogurt
• 1 tsp Red chili flakes
• 1 tsp Cumin powder
• 1 tbsp Coriander powder
• 2-3 Green chilies
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1/2 cup Oil
• 1/4 tsp Food coloring optional

Instructions

• Wash and soak your rice for 30 minutes.
• Thinly slice your onion.
• Heat oil in a pan and golden brown your onions. Take half of the onions out for later.
• In the remaining oil and onions, add chicken, ginger, and garlic paste.
• Mix everything and add biryani masala, red chili flakes, cumin-coriander powder, salt, whole green chilies, and cumin seeds.
• Add tomatoes and cook your chicken on medium heat for about 5-6 minutes.
• Now add yogurt and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes.
• Add 3 cups of water, once the water comes to a boil, add soaked rice and cook on high.
• Taste test the salt, your water will be a bit salty at this point.
• Sprinkle cumin seeds, add food coloring, and steam for 10- 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle your reserved onions on top and Enjoy.

Video

Notes

Note:

1. Soak your rice for at least 30 minutes, then discard the water from the rice before adding them to the chicken.
2. Don’t burn your onions because the color of the pulao depends on the onions, and they can burn quickly.

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