Chicken Yakhni Pulao

Delicious and aromatic chicken pulao with full of essence and flavors. This recipe is lip smacking chicken pulao where Basmati Rice is cooked in flavorful chicken stock infused with spices. You can serve it plain or with raita or salna.

Ingredients : 

For chicken broth :

• Chicken - 1 kg
• Garlic - 4 cloves
• Ginger - 1 inch 
• Onion - 1 medium
• Cumin - 1 tsp
• Coriander seeds - 1 tbsp
• Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
• Bay leaf - 2
• Cloves - 5 to 6
• Cinnamon - 1 inch
• Pepper cones - 1/2 tsp
• Star anise - 1
• Black cardamom - 1
• Cardamom - 4
• Salt - 2 tsp
• Water - 4 cups

For pulao :

• Basmati rice- 2 cups
• Oil - 4 tbsp
• Butter - 1 tbsp
• Onion - 1 medium size
• Cumin - 3/4 tsp
• Bay leaf - 1
• Pepper cons - 8
• Cardamom - 3
• Cloves - 4
• Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp
• Mace powder - 1/4 tsp
• Nutmeg powder- 1/4 tsp
• Curd - 4 tbsp
• Sugar - 3/4 tsp
• Green chilies - 4
• Salt to taste

Method :

• In a pot take cleaned chicken preferably with bone as it gives more flavour to the pulao and bigger piece as we will be cooking the chicken twice. Add all other ingredients for broth.

• Cook it for 8 mins on high heat and 15 mins on low heat. Meanwhile wash and soak basmati rice for half an hour.

• Take out the cooked chicken on to a plate and set aside. Filter the broth and discard the residue.

• In a pan heat oil and butter. Add sliced onion and saute till translucent. Add the whole spices and saute.

• Add ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes away. Add the cooked chicken pieces and saute well. Add powdered mace and nutmeg.

• Beat curd with sugar and add to the pan and saute on low flame. Add whole green chilies and saute for a minute(add more green chilies as per spicy required and you can slit them too).

• Add the reserved 4 cups of chicken stock and let it come to a boil. Then add drained basmati rice and cook until water is reduced on high heat.

• Cover the lid and cook on low flame for 10-15 mins. You can place the pan on hot tawa and dum the pulao. Let it rest for 20mins before opening the lid.

• Flavorful yakhni pulao is ready. Serve it hot.

Chicken Masala

Chicken Masala is a creamy, spicy and yummy masala gravy that goes well with steamed rice or any type of roti. Chicken is pressure cooked in onion tomato gravy with spices. And then coconut paste is added to give creamy texture for the masala that is flavored with saunf, cinnamon and poppy seeds.

Ingredients :

• Chicken - 500 gms
• Onion - 2 large
• Tomato - 2 large
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tbsp
• Green Chili - 2
• Curry Leaves - 2 sprig
• Chili Powder - 1 tbsp
• Coriander Powder - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1 tsp
• Garam Masala - 2 tsp
• Jeera Powder - 1 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Coriander Leaves for garnishing
• For Grinding :
• Fresh Coconut - 1/2 cup
• Poppy Seeds - 2 tbsp
• Cinnamon Stick - 4 cm piece
• Fennel Seeds/ Saunf - 1 tbsp

Method :

• In a pressure cooker heat oil. Add in sliced onions, slit green chili, curry leaves and saute till golden. Add in ginger garlic paste and saute till raw smell goes away.

• Add in all the spice powders. Mix well and add chopped tomatoes.

• Saute well and cook till the tomatoes are mushy. Add in cleaned chicken pieces.

• Mix well to coat chicken with the masala. Cover with lid and pressure cook for 3 whistles. (You can add little water for chicken to cook. But its optional) Meanwhile take all the ingredients for grinding in a mixer jar and grind to a fine paste.

• Once the pressure goes down, remove the lid. Switch on the flame and add in coconut paste.

• Mix well and let it cook till the curry thickens. Add in coriander leaves and switch off the flame.

• Creamy tasty chicken masala is ready to be served with rice or roti.

Chili Chicken Drumsticks

Chili Chicken is a popular Indo-Chinese dish. Chicken is marinated with sauce and spices, coated with flour and deep fried. Fried chicken is then stir fried with onion, capsicum and Ching's Chicken Chili Miracle Masala. Ching's Miracle masala is easily available in stores. Chili Chicken can be served as an appetizer or to compliment veg/non-veg fried rice dish. Here I have used chicken drumsticks. You can use bone/boneless chicken pieces and prepare the same dish.

Ingredients :

• Chicken Drumsticks - 4 nos.
• Onion - 1 medium sized
• Capsicum - 1 small
• Chili - 1 
• Ching's Chicken Chili Miracle Masala - 1 1/2 tbsp
• For Marination :
• Red Chili Sauce - 1 tbsp
• Soy Sauce - 2 tsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• All Purpose Flour(Maida) - 2 tbsp
• Corn Flour - 1 tbsp
• Oil for frying + 1 tbsp

Method :

• Clean the chicken drumsticks and pat them dry with a tissue. Make slit on them to absorb the spices.
• Take the drumsticks in a bowl and all the ingredients listed under marination. Marinate for minimum of 1 hour.

• Add maida, corn flour, salt(optional if required, as we have added for marination) and coat the drumsticks. Sprinkle water if required.

• Deep fry them in oil till done and drain on a absrbent paper. Or grill them in oven/ air fryer at 180 degree C until done.

• Chop onion into 4 parts and separate its layers. Chop capsicum into cubes and slit 1 green chili.

•  In a bowl take chili miracle masala, add 1/4 cup water and mix well with out any lumps.

• In non-stick pan heat 1 tbsp oil. Add cubed onion, capsicum and slit green chili. Fry for a while. Drop in fried chicken drumsticks and give a stir.

• Pour the prepared masala mix over the chicken. Stir and cook till the chicken has absorbed the masala.

• Chili chicken drumsticks are ready to be served as an appetizer.

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Fried rice that is super easy to make and delicious. Chicken fried rice is a popular dish at chinese restaurants, its indo chinese version has become one of the favorite of Indians. This is a complete meal recipe to make at home with leftovers such as cold rice, eggs, boneless chicken pieces and frozen or fresh vegetables. You can use beans, carrot, capsicum, white cabbage, red cabbage, green peas, corn, spring onions.
Following is the recipe for chicken fried rice. Meatless version is egg fried rice and vegetable fried rice. For Egg fried rice, just skip the meat and increase the number of eggs by 6. For vegetable fried rice, skip the eggs and meat by increasing quantity and variety of vegetables.

Ingredients :

• Basmati Rice - 1 cup
• Boneless Chicken - 150 gms or 1/2 cup diced
• Eggs - 2
• Onion - 1
• Beans - 6
• Carrot - 1 small
• Capsicum - 1/2 small
• Garlic - 1 tbsp chopped
• Soy Sauce - 1 tbsp
• Salt to taste
• Pepper Powder as per spiciness
• Oil - 3 tbsp

Method :

• Step 1 : Wash and soak basmati rice for half an hour. In a vessel boil 2 cups of water. Add salt and drained rice. Cook till rice is 80% cooked. Strain and keep aside to cool down.

• Step 2 : In a bowl break eggs and beat them. Add salt, pepper powder and mix well. Pour the mix on a tawa and scramble the eggs. Take it out on to a plate. ( You can even add eggs to the vegetables when it is cooked and scramble it.)

• Step 3: Take diced chicken and season with salt and pepper. In a kadai heat 1 tbsp oil. Add diced chicken and saute it till chicken is cooked. Transfer it to a plate.

• Step 4 : In the same kadai heat 2 tbsp oil. Add chopped garlic and saute till raw smell goes away. Add sliced onion or white sping onion and fry till translucent.

• Add chopped beans and carrot and saute for 2 mins. Add sliced capsicum and fry for a minute. Vegetables should be cooked but still crunchy and not soft.

• Add salt, pepper powder, soy sauce and saute for a minute.

• Step 5 : Add scrambled eggs, cooked chicken, mix and saute for a minute for all the flavors to get combined.

• Add cooked rice and mix everything well. If using add green spring onions now.

• A pretty complete meal in itself is ready to be served.