
Chicken Mandi
A classic Indian chicken from TheMealDB community kitchen — straightforward technique, real ingredients.
Origin
Categorized as Indian Chicken in TheMealDB. Community-contributed recipe.
Ingredients
- 1Chicken
- 2 cupsBasmati Rice
- 4 cupsWater
- 1 largeOnion
- 4 clovesGarlic
- 2Green Chilli
- 1 ½ tspSalt
- 3 tablespoonsOil
- 1 tablespoonTurmeric Powder
- 1 teaspoonCoriander
- ½ tbspCardamom
- ¼ teaspoonCloves
- 1/2 tspCinnamon
- 1 tspPepper
- 2Bay Leaf
Instructions
- 01
1. Clean and cut the chicken; marinate briefly with salt, turmeric and a little oil.
- 02
2. Rinse and soak basmati rice 20–30 minutes.
- 03
3. In a large pot, heat ghee/oil. Fry chopped onion until golden. Add minced garlic and green chillies and fry 1–2 min.
- 04
4. Add whole spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves) and ground spices (coriander, cumin). Stir until fragrant.
- 05
5. Add chicken pieces, brown lightly and add enough water/chicken stock to cover. Simmer until chicken is nearly cooked.
- 06
6. Remove chicken; measure remaining liquid and add soaked rice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and cook rice until almost done.
- 07
7. Return the chicken to the rice pot on top, cover tightly and steam on low for 10–15 min so flavors meld.
- 08
8. (Optional) For authentic smoky aroma: heat a small charcoal until red hot, place it on a small foil cup in the centre of the pot, add a tsp of butter/oil on the coal then cover immediately to trap smoke for 5–10 minutes. Remove coal.
- 09
9. Garnish with fried onions, chopped coriander and serve with chutney or raita.





