Kheema Pulao is a flavor-packed gluten-free meal with fragrant long-grain basmati rice cooked with ground chicken and aromatic-warm whole spices like black pepper, cumin seeds, and cinnamon. A perfect one-pot meal for a weeknight meal paired with cooling raita or yogurt that is ready in just 40 minutes. Feel free to substitute ground chicken, beef, or turkey to suit your family’s taste buds.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Minstry of Curry
Note: The original post published in Aug 2018 has been updated with new photos and a video.
Jump to:
What is Kheema?
Kheema / Keema / Queema is an Urdu word for minced meat such as chicken, lamb, beef, etc. As ground meat cooks fairly quickly, different meats can be easily substituted in this pulao recipe or in other recipes such as Kheema Pav.
Difference between Biryani and Pulao
Here are 2 basic differences between Biryani and Pulao (Pilaf)
- Biryani is made with marinated chicken that is layered with basmati rice. While Pulao does not require any marination and is cooked by mixing rice and veggies/meat.
- Biryani uses whole as well as ground spices and is a lot more spicer than pulao. Pulao is a lighter variation using only a few whole and ground spices.
Ingredients for Kheema Pulao
- Ghee - I like to use ghee as it adds rich nutty aromas to the pulao. You can also use oil instead.
- Ground Meat - I like to use ground chicken in this recipe. You can also use other ground meats like turkey, lamb, or beef in this recipe.
- White Rice - Long-grain Basmati rice works best for fluffy and light pulao
- Whole Spices - cumin seeds, black peppercorns, cinnamon & bay leaves
- Ground Spices - Kashmiri red chili powder & turmeric. You can also add garam masala if you like.
- Fresh Produce - yellow onion, tomato, fresh ginger & garlic paste, mint & cilantro
How to make Kheema Pulao (Instant Pot Method)
- Heat ghee or oil in the Instant Pot and sauté the spices and onions. Add chicken and mix well (photos 1 - 4).
- Add mint, turmeric, red chili powder, salt, and tomatoes. Add rice, and water and mix well making sure that all the rice is under the liquids (photos 5 - 8).
- Close the Instant Pot lid and pressure cook for 5 minutes followed by 5 minutes of natural pressure release. Garnish with cilantro and more freshly ground pepper. Note: if the rice looks uncooked on the top, just mix it with the rice under and close the Instant Pot for 5 minutes.
- Gently fluff the rice with a silicone spatula
How to Make Keema Pulao on Stove Top
- Rinse and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Drain out all the water and reserve.
- Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pot. Add cumin seeds, black peppercorn, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Saute for 30 seconds on medium heat.
- Add onions and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes or until the onions start to lightly brown.
- Add ginger, garlic, and chicken. Sauté, breaking the chicken and browning it for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, red chili powder, turmeric, mint leaves and salt. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes start to soften, stirring frequently.
- Add rice and water and mix well.
- Cook uncovered on medium-high heat until the liquids start to boil. Turn the heat to low and cook covered for 10 minutes. Do not stir the rice during these steps.
- Turn the heat off and allow the rice to sit for an additional 10 minutes.
- Uncover the Pot and gently fluff the rice.
- Add lime juice, cilantro, and black pepper. Enjoy hot.
Serving
Enjoy hot with a squeeze of fresh lime. I also like to serve it with cucumber salad or creamy beet and cucumber raita.
Storing Kheema Pulao
Any leftovers can be refrigerated for 2 to 3 days or frozen for longer shelf life. To reheat simply microwave until heated through. Kheema Pulao is a great make-ahead dish.
More Rice Recipes
Did you enjoy this one-pot meal? Check out all the Biryani Recipes and some more weeknight favorites:
Recipe
Kheema Pulao
Recipe Video
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 1 teaspoon shah jeera or cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon black peppercorns
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon garlic paste
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 1 tomato diced
- 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- handful of mint leaves chopped
- 2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cups long grain basmati rice rinsed and drained
- 1½ cups water
Garnish
- 1 lime
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper freshly ground
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and heat ghee. Add cumin seeds, black peppercorn, cinnamon and bay leaves. Saute for 30 seconds.
- Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes or until the onions start to brown. Cover with a non-locking glass lid to speed up the process.
- Add ginger, garlic and chicken. Sauté, breaking the chicken and browning it for a minute. Add tomatoes, red chili powder, turmeric, mint leaves and salt. Mix well.
- Add rice and water. Gently mix making sure all the rice is under the liquids. Close the Instant Pot lid with pressure valve to sealing. Pressure cook (Hi) for 5 minutes with a 5 minute natural pressure release.
- Open the Instant Pot and gently fluff the top rice (Note, if the rice looks uncooked on the top, just mix it with the rice under and close the Instant Pot for 5 minutes)
- Add lime juice, cilantro and black pepper. Turn the Instant Pot off and take the insert out so the rice does not overcook or get mushy. Enjoy hot.
How to Make Keema Pulao on Stove Top
- Heat ghee in a heavy bottom pot. Add cumin seeds, black peppercorn, cinnamon, and bay leaves. Saute for 30 seconds on medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes or until the onions start to lightly brown.
- Add ginger, garlic, and chicken. Sauté, breaking the chicken and browning it for a few minutes.
- Add tomatoes, red chili powder, turmeric, mint leaves and salt. Mix well and cook until the tomatoes start to soften, stirring frequently.
- Add rice and water and mix well. Cook uncovered on medium-high heat until the liquids start to boil. Turn the heat to low and cook covered for 10 minutes. Do not stir the rice during these steps.
- Turn the heat off and allow the rice to sit for an additional 10 minutes. Uncover the Pot and gently fluff the rice. Add lime juice, cilantro, and black pepper. Enjoy hot.
Nutrition
♥ We LOVE to hear from you! Did you try this recipe? Please share your food photo with hashtag #ministryofcurry on Facebook or Instagram, so we can see it and our followers can enjoy it too! Thank you and Happy Cooking ♥ Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for tasty and easy video recipes. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes? Check out our delicious Instant Pot Recipe board on Pinterest.
Aparna says
What is the measurement of 1 cup rice? Can I add more rice to 1 pound of chicken?
Archana says
I use the 8 OZ cup to measure the rice. Yes, you can add more rice if you like.
Adriana says
Thank you Archana for this delicious and easy recipe. I sometimes make it with turkey and also ground beef. Love it!
Archana says
You are most welcome!
Vic in Sydney says
Easy peasy, quick and very delicious. I skipped the Serrano to tone down the spice and my usually fussy kids scoffed this down like nobody's business.
Would have liked to increase the quantity of rice vs. mincemeat but I wouldn't know how to adjust the recipe overall.
Thank you for sharing, this recipe was very good!
Smitha says
This was perfect! Everyone loved it. The spices were perfect. I was nervous that it didn’t have any coriander in it but didn’t need it. Thank you! We will make this again for sure!
Sabs says
I just made this (the only change I made was doubling the kashmiri red chili powder so it'd have more of a kick, and using ground turkey), and it is delicious. I could probably eat this for every meal!
Archana says
Thank you for the lovely feedback. You can use any ground meat for this pulao recipe.
Syeda says
This recipe is on regular weeknight rotation and my family loves it accompanied by some raita and kachumbar ! I use lean beef mince
Archana Mundhe says
That sounds absolutely delicious! Using lean beef mince is perfect! I’m so glad this recipe has become a weeknight favorite for your family.
S. Gambe says
Looks delicious!
Can I leave out the mint? Any substitute for it?
Archana Mundhe says
yes absolutely! Add more cilantro if you like!
Praveena says
This is such an excellent recipe!! Thank you! Can I use brown rice with this recipe instead of brown rice, will it alter the meat texture to be in the instant pot for longer as brown rice takes longer to cook?
Archana Mundhe says
Yes, you can use brown rice with this recipe. Just note that brown rice takes longer to cook, so adjust cook time to 20 minutes.