Easy Chicken Pulao Recipe (Instant Pot)

Instant Pot chicken pulao is a delicious one-pot meal that combines tender chicken with fragrant rice and aromatic spices. Made with moist chicken pieces, this Indian-style chicken and rice casserole is a flavorful and satisfying dish that can be prepared in 20 minutes.

The rice is cooked to perfection, and the subtle flavors from the whole spices perfectly complement the tender chicken, making it a hit with the whole family.

Ingredients and substitutes

Chicken: I use chicken legs or drumsticks to make the pulao. You can use any cut with either bone-in or boneless chicken.

Rice: Use Basmati rice to make this chicken rice.

Spices: The whole spices I use are bay leaves, green cardamom, black cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. The powdered spices I use are garam masala, turmeric, and chili powder.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

Yakhni pulao: Yakhni means broth, and yakhni pulao is a flavorful variation where the chicken is cooked in a broth made with a blend of whole spices and onions. The rice is then cooked in this chicken stock, resulting in a rich and aromatic pulao.

Keema Pulao: Chicken keema pulao is made with ground chicken (keema) instead of chicken pieces. The keema is cooked with spices, onions, and tomatoes, and then the rice is added and cooked until done.

Green chicken pulao: This variation uses a vibrant green masala made from cilantro, mint, green chilies, and spices. The chicken is cooked with this masala, giving the pulao a fresh and herbaceous flavor. You can find my recipe to make green vegetable pulao here.

Tomato chicken pulao: In this variation, the chicken is cooked in a tomato-based gravy along with spices and aromatics. The rice is then added and cooked together, resulting in a tangy and flavorful pulao.

Step-by-step instructions

Expert tips to make Instant Pot chicken pulao

Wash the Basmati rice thoroughly in running water until the water runs clear. Then, soak it for 20-30 minutes. Soaking the rice is an important step while making any kind of pulao. Washing and soaking the rice will help to remove excess starch from it and achieve a non-sticky texture to the pulao.

The water-to-rice ratio for this Instant Pot chicken pulao is 1:1. Adding more than this amount will make the rice sticky and mushy.

The whole spices are important to make the best-tasting pulao. You may skip the ones you don't have access to, but it will definitely change the taste of the final dish. You can also add one teaspoon of cumin seeds along with other spices.

Add green chilies along with onions to increase the heat. You can also add more red chili powder or cayenne to make a spicy pulao.

Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes. You can marinate the chicken for longer if you are planning ahead to make this dish. Place the marinated chicken in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight and then use it.

I use chicken legs or drumsticks to make the pulao. You can use any cut with either bone-in or boneless chicken. Adjust the saute time accordingly.

Click here for more one-pot meals recipes. Also, check out my collection of Indian rice recipes in Instant Pot.

What to serve with chicken pulao?

Raita and salad: Raita is a yogurt-based side dish that helps balance the spices in the pulao. Cucumber raita, onion raita, and mint raita are great options. Make a simple kachumber salad or slice cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions and place them on a wide plate. Sprinkle salt and lemon juice and serve.

Papadums or Naan: Papadums (crispy lentil wafers) or naan bread are great options to serve alongside chicken pulao.

Green Chutney: Green chutney add a zesty and refreshing element to the meal. It can be served as a dip or drizzled over the pulao. Whisk it with a dollop of yogurt to make yogurt mint chutney.

Recipe FAQs

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Recipe card

Instant Pot Chicken Pulao

Instant Pot chicken pulao is a delicious one-pot meal that combines tender chicken with fragrant rice and aromatic spices. Made with moist chicken pieces, this Indian-style chicken and rice casserole is a flavorful and satisfying dish that can be prepared in 20 minutes. The rice is cooked to perfection, and the subtle flavors from the whole spices perfectly complement the tender chicken, making it a hit with the whole family.

5 from 109 votes

Print Pin Rate

Author: Shilpa Kerur

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Ingredients

For the marination:

• ▢ 4 chicken drumsticks
• ▢ ¼ cup yogurt
• ▢ 1 inch ginger grated
• ▢ 3 cloves garlic grated
• ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt

For the pulao:

• ▢ 1 cup Basmati rice
• ▢ 2 tablespoon ghee (use store-bought or homemade ghee)
• ▢ 1 large onion thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 bay leaf
• ▢ 4 cloves
• ▢ 4 cardamom
• ▢ 1 black cardamom
• ▢ 1-2 small cinnamon sticks
• ▢ 1 teaspoon garam masala (use store-bought or homemade garam masala)
• ▢ ½-1 teaspoon salt adjust as per taste
• ▢ ¼ cup cilantro

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Instructions

Prep and marinate:

• Wash the Basmati rice thoroughly and soak it in water for 20-30 minutes.
• In a small bowl, add yogurt, ginger, garlic, turmeric, salt, and chili powder. Mix well.
• Add the chicken and mix well. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.

Make the pulao:

• Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and add ghee.
• Once it heats, add the whole spices (bay leaf, green cardamom, clove, black cardamom, and cinnamon). Saute for a few seconds.
• Add onions and fry until the onion is golden.
• Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well. Cover and saute for 5 minutes.
• Drain the water from the soaked Basmati rice and add the rice.
• Add garam masala, salt, and one cup of water and mix well.
• Close the lid of the Instant Pot and seal the vent. Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook mode for 5 minutes.
• Do a quick release of the pressure. Open the lid and gently fluff up the rice. Garnish with cilantro (coriander leaves).
• Serve hot with raita.

Video

Notes

Use Basmati rice or a good variety of long grain rice to make this pilaf. When cooked correctly, the grains will be separate, non-lumpy, and will stick to each other.

Wash the Basmati rice thoroughly in running water until the water runs clear. Then, soak it for 20-30 minutes. Soaking the rice is an important step while making any kind of pulao. Washing and soaking the rice will help to remove excess starch from it and achieve a non-sticky texture to the pulao.

The water to rice ratio for this Instant Pot chicken pulao is 1:1. Adding more than this amount will make the rice sticky and mushy.

The whole spices are important to make the best-tasting pulao. You may skip the ones you don't have access to them but it will definitely change the taste of the final dish. You can also add one teaspoon of cumin seeds along with other spices.

Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 66mg | Sodium: 63mg | Potassium: 314mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 318IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 67mg | Iron: 2mg

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