Chicken Pulao - Instant Pot - Pressure Cooker

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Apr. 28, 2023

I took a cooking class in Mumbai in December 2022, and one of the recipes I learned was this delicious and easy Chicken Pulao. I developed it and modified it to cook comfortably in my Instant Pot. While you can easily make this recipe on the stovetop or finish it in the oven, the Instant Pot gives you incredible results. In this recipe a spice bag is cooked with chicken, garlic turmeric in water to make a delicious golden stock. This stock is then reserved and the rice is cooked in it together with the chicken, the spice bag ingredients pureed, onion and more spices. Once cooked in the pressure cooker, you get beautiful and fragrant golden Basmati grains.

Ingredients

Spice bag:
3 tbsps Fennel seeds
1 tbsp Cumin seeds
4 Green Cardamoms
2 inches Cinnamon
8 Cloves
8 Peppercorns
Stock:
1/4 cup crushed Garlic
800 gms Chicken
Spice bag
Salt
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
Rice:
2 cups of Basmati rice, soaked and rinsed
5 cups of Water
2 Bay leaves
1 tsp Shah Jeera
4 green Cardamoms
2 cups sliced Onions
Spice paste spice bag contents + few tbsps stock
4 cups stock
Salt to taste
1 tbsp fresh or dried Mint

Directions

GETTING READY:

1.Prepare the spice bag by adding the spices in a cheesecloth and tie it.

MAKING:

2.Prepare the stock by sautéing some garlic in oil in the instant pot set on saute mode.

3.Add the chicken pieces, salt and turmeric.

4.Cover with water, cover, set the IP to sealing mode and set the IP to pressure cooker and select 6 mins.

5.After 6 minutes, allow the steam to escape and open the lid.

6.Remove the spice bag and allow to cool.

7.Remove the chicken pieces.

8.Strain the stock and save the garlic.

9.Add the garlic to a processor and add the contents of the spice bag.

10.Add a few tbsps of the stock and grind.

11.Turn the IP back onto saute mode, add some oil and the whole spices (bay leaves, black cumin & cardamom.

12.Add the onions and saute till caramelized.

13.Add the ground paste in.

14.Add the chicken.

15.Add the stock.

16.Add the rinsed & drained rice.

17.Add the fresh or dried mint.

18.Close the IP and set to sealing mode again.

19.Set the IP to pressure cook for 5 mins.

20.Allow the steam to naturally escape and open the lid & fluff the rice.

21.Remove the rice immediately from the IP in order to cool it immediately.

SERVING:

22.Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Summary

Difficulty Level: Easy
Cook Time: 60 Minutes
Ready In: 60 Minutes
Servings: 4