Chicken Yakhni Pulao (Pakistani Chicken and Rice)

By Zainab Shah

Published June 26, 2025

Chicken Yakhni Pulao (Pakistani Chicken and Rice)
Kelly Marshall for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Total Time
About 1 hour
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Rating
5(38)
Comments
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Pakistan’s original meat and rice dish for special occasions, yakhni pulao is the demure rival to the more lavish, layered and spiced chicken biryani. Unlike biryani, yakhni pulao is delicately spiced and the rice is cooked in a quick yakhni (broth) made from the bone-in chicken pieces, which get added back to the rice toward the end of the cooking process. Golden sautéed onions give the pulao its distinct earthy color, while aromatic peppercorns, cumin, cloves and cinnamon flavor the rice. Green chiles provide a kick and yogurt a bit of sourness. Serve with a hefty curry like kaddu with greens and shrimp, butter paneer or Kerala-style vegetable korma, or alongside dal like masoor dal, sabut masoor dal or chana masala, or by itself.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1½cups basmati rice 
  • 1pound bone-in, skinless chicken pieces (split breasts, thighs and/or legs)
  • 8 to 10black peppercorns 
  • 4 to 6cloves 
  • 1cinnamon stick 
  • 2teaspoons cumin seeds, divided
  • ¼cup ghee or neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)
  • 1medium yellow or white onion, thinly sliced 
  • 1tablespoon ginger paste or freshly grated ginger 
  • 1tablespoon garlic paste or freshly grated garlic 
  • 2plum tomatoes, chopped 
  • 2Thai green chiles, stems removed
  • 2tablespoons Greek yogurt
  • Salt
  • 1teaspoon garam masala
  • 2tablespoons chopped cilantro
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

666 calories; 32 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 16 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 65 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 4 grams sugars; 28 grams protein; 692 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the rice in a large bowl and wash by soaking and draining a few times until the water runs clear. Fill up the bowl of rice with water one final time to soak the rice; set aside.

  2. Step 2

    In a large heavy pot over high heat, combine the chicken, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of the cumin seeds and 2½ cups water. When the water starts boiling, adjust heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer. Cover so the lid is ajar and cook 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken and broth to a large bowl and set aside.

  3. Step 3

    Add ghee to the now-empty pot and heat on high for 45 seconds. Stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon cumin seeds. Add onion, ginger and garlic, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until onion is golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Return the chicken pieces to the pot. Continue cooking on high until the chicken has darkened slightly, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, green chiles and yogurt.

  4. Step 4

    Drain the rice and stir it into the pot along with 2½ cups of the reserved broth (along with any spices in the broth). Season with salt. Bring to a boil, then adjust heat to medium-low to maintain a simmer.

  5. Step 5

    Wrap a kitchen towel around the lid of the pot so it’s covered from all sides (this ensures a seal and locks in moisture). Cover the pot with the wrapped lid. Continue cooking over medium-low, undisturbed, for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the pulao rest for 10 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    Remove the lid and fluff the pulao. Sprinkle with garam masala and cilantro and serve.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
38 user ratings
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Comments

Spiz

I suspect that any chicken recipe that doesn't brown the chicken and cook the spices until aromatic and critically allow them to infuse the fats will not turn out flavoursome. Only some of the flavours here are cooked with the ghee. Boiled chicken is just boiled chicken otherwise.

David Thomson

Followed the recipe w a couple of exceptions. Used chicken stock rather than water and per earlier critique, toasted the spices. Wonderfully flavourable,

Danny

Made almost as written (subbed in ground clove and toasted spices in dry pan for a minute or so) but a question - are you supposed to cook minced garlic and ginger for 12-15 (7-10 + 5) minutes on high without burning them? I think next time I'd give the onions 5m head start. Second, any tips for seasoning at step 4? Hard to judge uncooked rice in broth. I think seasoning more often throughout would have been better - salt the chicken, add some to the broth, etc

Spiz

I love a one pot rice dish. But I prefer to finish them off in the oven for the last step as it helps the rice not to stick to the bottom of the pan. Not too hot an oven and generally I'd leave it in around 2x the normal stove top time recommended.

Lindsey

Did as other commenters suggested and waited until the end of the 10 min cook window to add the ginger and garlic. Also added a bag of green beans when I put the broth back in. Ended up needing 3 cups of broth due to that edit.

Mary

I loved the chicken cooked with water and spices and the broth it rendered. A long presoaking of the rice meant that it cooked really rapidly.

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