Grandmum’s Chicken Pulao

Name: Grandmum’s Chicken Pulao
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander/cilantro leaves; 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste; 1 tbsp ginger and garlic paste; 150 g/5½ oz/⅔ cups Greek yogurt; 1 tsp deggi mirch, or any red chilli powder; ½ tsp ground cardamom; 1 tsp chopped mint leaves; 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander/cilantro leaves; 2 tsp ground coriander; ½ tsp ground cumin; 2.5 cm/1 in cinnamon stick; A pinch of ground nutmeg; 1 tsp garam masala; 350 ml/12 fl oz/1⅓ cups water; 2–3 black peppercorns; 250 g/9 oz/1¼ cups white rice, rinsed thoroughly, soaked in water for 15–20 minutes, then drained; 250 g/9 oz/1¼ cups white rice, rinsed thoroughly, soaked in water for 15–20 minutes, then drained; 2 bay leaves; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 1–2 cloves; 1 brown cardamom pod; 500 g/1 lb 2 oz skinless chicken, breast pieces and drumsticks, with tendons; 500 g/1 lb 2 oz skinless chicken, breast pieces and drumsticks, with tendons; 500 g/1 lb 2 oz skinless chicken, breast pieces and drumsticks, with tendons; A few fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, chopped, to garnish; A few fresh coriander/cilantro leaves, chopped, to garnish; 2 tbsp neutral oil; 1 tsp butter; 1 white onion, sliced; 1–2 green chillies, slit

Preparation info

Serves:
4

Difficulty
Easy
Ready in
50 min

Appears in

No Worries, Just Chicken Curries

By Suki Pantal

Published 2025

About

Growing up, I never saw the flamboyant biryanis being made in my family kitchen. It was always their less fussy cousin, pulao. We always left it to restaurants to feed us their delicious and exotic biryanis. Instead, it was the comforting pulao that took centre stage on our family dining table.

Pulao, as we call it in India, is also called pilaf and pilau in other parts of the world. It’s said that the words originate from Turkish and Persian Pilav and the Sanskrit word Pulaka, whic

Ingredients

Asia
India
Main course
Gluten-free

Grandmum’s Chicken Pulao

Ingredients

Method

Photos