Chicken yakhni pulao

Name: Chicken yakhni pulao
Total time: 7200 s
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 kg chicken, bone-in pieces; 2 onions, chunks; 2 sticks cinnamon; 3 black cardamoms; 1 tbsp. cumin seeds; 4 tbsp. coriander seed; 1 tsp. black cumin seed (shahi zeera); 2 inch fresh ginger; 5-6 fresh garlic bulbs; 1 tbsp. black peppercorns; 1 tbsp. cloves; 4 cups water; 3 cups rice, wash, soak in lukewarm water for 20 minutes; 2 medium onion, thin sliced; 1/4 cup oil; 5 tbsp. yogurt; 1/2 tbsp. black pepper corns; 1/2 tbsp. cloves; 1 tbsp. ginger/garlic paste; 1/2 tsp. coriander powder; 1/4 tsp. garam masala; To taste salt

Sarvat Hanif @sarvathanif

Canada

Chicken Yakhni Pulao is more than just food—it carries memories, traditions, and the familiar flavours of home. It is a recipe that has been made and enjoyed around our table for years, and every time I cook it, it brings back that comforting feeling of a family meal.
The secret to a delicious yakhni pulao is, of course, the yakhni—a beautifully flavoured chicken stock made with whole spices, onions, ginger, and garlic. Once the chicken is tender, the fragrant broth is strained and used to cook the rice, allowing every grain to soak up all that wonderful flavour.
The rice is cooked gently until it is fluffy, aromatic, and perfectly seasoned, while the tender chicken pieces sit beautifully throughout.
This is my family’s version—simple, comforting, and made with the kind of flavours that never go out of style.
Serve it with raita, a fresh salad, and perhaps some achaar, and you have a meal that feels like home in every bite.
#CookpadApron2026

Sarvat Hanif @sarvathanif

Saved

Ingredients

2 hours

6 servings

1 kgchicken, bone-in pieces
2onions, chunks
2 stickscinnamon
3black cardamoms
1 tbsp.cumin seeds
4 tbsp.coriander seed
1 tsp.black cumin seed (shahi zeera)
2 inchfresh ginger
5-6fresh garlic bulbs
1 tbsp.black peppercorns
1 tbsp.cloves
4 cupswater
3 cupsrice, wash, soak in lukewarm water for 20 minutes
2medium onion, thin sliced
1/4 cupoil
5 tbsp.yogurt
1/2 tbsp.black pepper corns
1/2 tbsp.cloves
1 tbsp.ginger/garlic paste
1/2 tsp.coriander powder
1/4 tsp.garam masala
To tastesalt

Saved

Steps

2 hours

1

Wash chicken pieces and pour water in a broad pot.
2

Take a cheese cloth and place cinnamons, black cardamoms, cumin seeds, coriander seed, black cumin seed, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns and 1 tablespoon cloves in it and make a bundle or spice bag. Lay this bundle in the water.
3

Add onion, garlic, ginger. Cook till meat is tender
4

Separate the meat and take out the spice bundle and strain the yakhni/soup pressing the onion in paste.
5

Heat oil and add in the black pepper, clove and allow to splutter.
6

Add the onions and fry till brown NOT black -this brown colour will give rice the due colour!
7

As onion gets fried, add in the chicken and stir.
8

Add ginger garlic paste, stir.
9

Sprinkle the coriander powder, yogurt and cook till the meat turns into a fresh brown colour and the yogurt dries up.
10

Measure the ready soup (yakhni) and pour 4 glasses to the chicken (if less then add water to cover it up).
11

Now add the salt, and bring all to boil.
12

Drain the rice and add in the pot, cook on a high flame and reduce heat gradually.
13

When the yakhni is only on the surface cover the pot (with a wet cloth--optional) and set on dum (simmer) on a low heat for 15 minutes.
14

Uncover and sprinkle the garam masala and fluff the rice from edges.-the pulao is ready to serve.