IndianMedium · Hot
Murgh Pulav — Yogurt-Marinated Chicken with Basmati and Whole Spices
Fragrant basmati rice layered with yogurt-marinated chicken thighs and whole spices, infused with cumin, cloves, and aromatic star anise. A celebration rice that fills your kitchen with the perfume of a Jaipur kitchen.
Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Rest
2h
Total
2h 45m
Method
Marinate the Chicken
1
In a large bowl, combine yogurt, grated ginger, minced garlic, ground cumin, turmeric, salt, and black pepper. Mix until smooth.
2
Add chicken thighs to the marinade, turning to coat each piece thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for deeper flavor penetration.
Bloom the Whole Spices
3
In a heavy-bottomed pot or pressure cooker, heat sunflower oil over medium heat. Add whole cumin seeds and watch for them to sizzle and pop, about 30 seconds.
4
Add cloves, cinnamon stick, star anise, and fennel seeds. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant and the kitchen fills with their perfume. Be careful not to burn the spices.
Sear the Chicken
5
Add sliced onions to the bloomed spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften and turn golden, about 5 minutes.
6
Remove marinated chicken from refrigerator. Lift each thigh from the yogurt marinade and place in the pot. Reserve the remaining marinade.
7
Build the Pilaf
9
Pour remaining yogurt marinade over the chicken. Stir gently to combine with the onions and spices.
10
Add rinsed basmati rice to the pot, carefully distributing it around and over the chicken pieces without disturbing them too much.
11
Pour chicken broth or water evenly over everything. Bring to a gentle boil.
12
Pour 1.75 cups chicken broth or water evenly over everything (1.17:1 liquid-to-rice ratio). Bring to a gentle boil.
Dum Cook to Perfection
13
Insert a calibrated meat thermometer into the thickest part of a chicken thigh away from bone. Verify internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C) before serving.
14
Remove from heat and let rest, still covered, for 5 minutes. This allows the rice to absorb remaining moisture and the flavors to marry.
15
Uncover, discard whole spices if desired, and fluff the rice gently with a fork, mixing in the chicken.
Serve
16
Transfer to a serving platter, arranging chicken pieces on top of fragrant rice. Scatter fresh cilantro leaves over everything.
17
Serve hot with raita on the side if desired.
A
Nutri-Score
Excellent balance
A–E · lower is better · score -1
Calories
867
per serving
High in protein · 60gLow sugar · 5g
Protein
60g
Carbs
81g
Fat
33g
Sat. fat
7g
Fiber
4g
Sugar
5g
Sodium
769mg
Gluten FreeDairyHeart HealthyLow Sodium CautionHigh ProteinBalanced Meal
Nutri-Score is a general nutritional-balance guide, not medical or dietary advice.
D
Environmental impact
High impact
A–E · lower is better · includes estimates
kg CO2e
2.2
per serving
DCarbonAEU all-round· carbon sets the grade
Water
1.6m³
Land
72Pt
Runoff
0.2g P
bone-in chicken thighs drives 74% of this recipe’s estimated footprint.
Carbon from Poore & Nemecek 2018; water, land & runoff from Agribalyse — modelled averages for comparing recipes, not a measurement of your groceries.
Flavor Profile
6
Umami
4
Sweet
5
Salty
3
Sour
2
Bitter
4
Spicy
Textures
TenderJuicyFluffyCrispy
Aromas
AromaticEarthyHerbalSmokyNutty
Kitchen Equipment
Primary Tool
Pressure CookerPressure CookerHeavy Bottomed PotChef KnifeCutting BoardGraterMeasuring CupsMeasuring SpoonsSlotted SpoonMixing BowlPlastic WrapAluminum Foil
Counter FootprintMedium
Techniques
Safety & Storage
Cooking Temperature
Chicken thighs must reach an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) throughout before consumption. The searing step alone may not achieve this safe temperature. Verify with a calibrated meat thermometer during the final dum cooking phase.
Cross Contamination
Raw poultry juices from marinated chicken can transfer bacteria to ready-to-eat surfaces and ingredients. Use separate cutting boards, utensils, and containers for raw chicken. Wash hands thoroughly with soap after handling raw meat before touching other ingredients.
Storage
Store raw marinated chicken in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. Do not leave yogurt-marinated chicken at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if ambient temperature exceeds 90°F/32°C). Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking.
High Risk Population
Young children, elderly individuals, pregnant persons, and immunocompromised individuals face elevated risk from undercooked poultry and dairy-based marinades that have been exposed to raw meat. Ensure thorough cooking and avoid serving rare or pink chicken portions to these populations.
Handling
The yogurt in the marinade acts as a tenderizer but also creates a moist environment where bacteria can proliferate if left unrefrigerated. Always marinate chicken in the refrigerator, never on the counter. Discard used marinade that has contacted raw chicken or bring it to a full boil before reuse.
Equipment Safety
When blooming whole spices in hot oil, the moisture in the pot can cause oil to splatter when ingredients are added. Dry the pot bottom around the edges, add spices gently away from your face, and use long-handled utensils to avoid burns.
Pro Tips
Technique
The yogurt marinade isn't just about flavor—it's chemistry. The acids tenderize the chicken from the inside out. Don't rush it; overnight in the refrigerator transforms tough thigh meat into something that melts. When you sear the chicken, let the yogurt caramelize against the hot oil—that golden crust carries half the taste.
Substitution
No bone-in thighs? Use boneless, but reduce cooking time by 5 minutes. No basmati? Use any long-grain rice, though the aroma won't be quite the same. Ghee instead of sunflower oil adds richness my grandmother would approve of.
Time Saver
Marinate the chicken in the morning before work and let it sit in the refrigerator all day. When you get home, dinner comes together in under an hour—the sear, the simmer, the steam, and dinner is served.
From the chef
This pulav reminds me of the way my mother would cook for family gatherings in Jaipur—yogurt making the chicken impossibly tender while the whole spices whispered through every grain of basmati. My aunties always said a proper pulav should make people close their eyes and breathe deep before the first bite. That perfume of cumin, clove, and star anise blooming together? That's not just cooking—that's memory made fragrant.
TagsYogurt MarinatedWhole SpicesBasmatiDum CookingAromaticOne PotChicken
AllergensMilk
Source: generated · June 10, 2026