Pakistani Aromatic Chicken Rice Pilaf

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A fragrant one-pot chicken and rice dish from Pakistan. Bone-in chicken is gently simmered with whole spices, golden onions, and yogurt, then aged basmati rice is layered on top and slow-cooked until tender, fluffy, and deeply aromatic.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 540 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 7 gSaturated Fat
• 55 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 5 gSugar
• 30 gProtein
• 720 mgSodium
• 480 mgPotassium
• 90 mgCalcium
• 3.5 mgIron
• 9 mgVitamin C
• 75 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

Whole spices

• 4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 2 black cardamom pods
• 2 cinnamon sticks (2-inch each)
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 2 dried bay leaves

For the chicken base

• 1 whole chicken (~1.2 kg / 2.5 lb), cut into 8-10 bone-in pieces
• 2 tbsp ghee or clarified butter
• 2 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, whisked
• 1 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped, plus 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, chopped

For the rice

• 2 1/2 cups aged basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes
• 2 tsp salt (for parboiling water)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp ghee
• 2 whole green cardamom pods
• 4-5 green chilies, slit lengthwise

For finishing

• 2 tbsp warm whole milk
• A small pinch of saffron threads
• 2 tbsp reserved golden fried onions
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro and mint

Directions

1. Soak the rinsed basmati rice in cool water for 30 minutes; this relaxes the grains so they cook long, slender, and separate without snapping at the tips.
2. Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and fry, stirring often, until deep golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Lift out half the onions with a slotted spoon and reserve for garnish.
3. Add all the whole spices (both cardamoms, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, peppercorns, bay leaves) to the remaining oil and sizzle 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chicken and brown lightly on both sides, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the ginger-garlic paste and cook 1 minute, then add the tomatoes and cook until they soften and the ghee begins to separate at the edges, 5-6 minutes.
5. Lower the heat to medium-low, pour in the whisked yogurt in a slow stream while stirring, then add the green chilies, salt, chopped cilantro, and mint. Cover and simmer 10-12 minutes, or until the chicken is roughly half-cooked through.
6. Meanwhile, bring a wide pot of water to a rolling boil with 2 teaspoons salt, the lemon juice, and the cardamom pods. Drain the rice and parboil 5-6 minutes, until the grains are about 70 percent done (still show a firm white core when bitten). Drain thoroughly.
7. Layer the parboiled rice evenly over the chicken. Drizzle the warm milk (with the saffron bloomed in it) and the extra teaspoon of ghee over the rice. Scatter the reserved fried onions across the top. Seal the lid with a clean kitchen towel tucked underneath it (or seal with a strip of flour-and-water dough).
8. Cook on the lowest possible heat (dum) for 25-30 minutes without lifting the lid. Remove from heat and let rest, still covered, 10 minutes.
9. Fluff gently with a wide fork, lifting from the bottom to combine the chicken and rice without breaking the grains. Turn out onto a warm platter, garnish with the extra cilantro and mint, and serve with cucumber raita and a kachumber salad.

Cook’s Notes

• Soak aged basmati for at least 30 minutes; this is what gives the rice its signature long, separate grains after the dum.
• Parboil the rice only to 70 percent – fully cooked rice will turn mushy during the final steam with the chicken.
• For authentic dum, seal the pot lid with a strip of wheat-flour-and-water dough to trap steam completely; a tight lid with a kitchen towel works nearly as well.
• Blooming saffron in warm milk and drizzling it on the rice just before the dum gives the pilaf its lovely pale-gold streaks without stirring them in.
• For extra richness, add 2 more tablespoons of ghee along with the oil when browning the onions.

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