A bold and aromatic South Indian rice dish featuring tender chicken, freshly ground spices, black pepper and fragrant whole spices.
Tamil Nadu Chettinad Chicken Pulao brings the distinctive flavours of Chettinad cuisine to a comforting one-pot meal. Chicken is cooked with onions, ginger, garlic, green chillies, curry leaves and a robust blend of spices, including black pepper, fennel and coriander. These ingredients create a deeply savoury flavour with a characteristic peppery warmth.
Basmati rice is cooked in chicken stock with the spiced chicken mixture, allowing the grains to absorb the rich flavours while remaining fragrant. Finished with fried onions and fresh coriander, this pulao is ideal for a hearty family lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
750 g basmati rice (4 cups), soaked for 30 minutes
1 kg chicken
3 tbsp ghee
2 onions, sliced
1 tbsp ginger
1 tbsp garlic
2 green chillies
Curry leaves
2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp fennel
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp cumin
4 cloves
4 cardamoms
1 piece of cinnamon
Salt to taste
5½ cups chicken stock
Fried onions
Fresh coriander
Method
Prepare the Rice
Wash the basmati rice gently until the water is reasonably clear. Soak for 30 minutes, then drain and set aside.Sauté the Aromatics and Spices
Heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed pot. Fry the sliced onions until golden. Add the ginger, garlic, curry leaves, green chillies, black pepper, fennel, coriander powder, cumin, cloves, cardamoms and cinnamon. Sauté until fragrant.Cook the Chicken
Add the chicken and cook for 10–12 minutes, stirring occasionally so the pieces are coated evenly with the aromatic spice mixture.Add the Stock and Rice
Pour in the chicken stock and bring it to a boil. Add the drained rice and stir gently to distribute it evenly with the chicken and spices.Cook Until Tender
Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, allowing the rice to absorb the stock and the chicken to cook thoroughly.Rest and Garnish
Turn off the heat and let the pulao rest for 10 minutes. Gently fluff the rice and garnish with fried onions and fresh coriander before serving.
Serve
Serve hot with onion raita, boiled eggs, pickle and cucumber salad. The cooling raita and fresh salad balance the peppery Chettinad spices, while boiled eggs make the meal even more satisfying.