Yakhni Pulao With Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
2 cups Basmati rice , soaked in water for at least half an hour
500 grams Chicken , cut into pieces
1/2 Onion , cut in two pieces
2 Black cardamom (Badi Elaichi)
1/2 teaspoon Whole Black Peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon Cloves (Laung)
2 inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)
1 Bay leaf (tej patta)
1 pinch Nutmeg powder
1 Mace (Javitri)
6 cloves Garlic
2 inch Ginger
1 teaspoon Coriander (Dhania) Seeds
3 cups Water
Salt , as required
1 Onion , thinly sliced
1-1/2 teaspoons Ginger Garlic Paste
1/2 Tomato , chopped
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
1/2 cup Curd (Dahi / Yogurt)
1/2 teaspoon Coriander Powder (Dhania)
1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli powder
1 teaspoon Garam masala powder
2 Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds
1-1/2 teaspoon Fennel seeds (Saunf) , ground

To begin making the Kashmiri Style Yakhni Pulao With Chicken Recipe, we will first make the Yakhni or the stock/broth using 'Bouquet Garni' or a Spice Potli
To make the 'bouquet garni' or a Spice Potli, take a clean muslin cloth and place the onion, garlic pods, whole ginger, black cardamom pods, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, and mace on it and collect the ends of the cloth to tie a potli. 
In a saucepan, add water on medium heat, and add the chicken, salt and the bouquet garni and boil it for around 15 minutes.
Remove the bouquet garni and keep the stock with chicken pieces aside. The 'yakhni' is ready.
In a wide pan, heat oil on medium heat, and fry the sliced onions. Take 1/4 of the onions and keep aside.
In the remaining onions, add cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, tomatoes, salt, red chilly powder, coriander powder and stir fry for about 3 minutes.
After 3 minutes, add yogurt, garam masala and green cardamom. Cook on medium-high heat till the tomatoes get tender.
Add fennel seeds and chicken pieces to the masala and let it simmer for another 3 to 4 minutes.
Add this masala and soaked & drained rice to the prepared yakhni ( stock ) in the saucepan, turn on the heat and cook the rice in it uncovered for about 5 minutes or till the water dries up.
Sprinkle fried onion on the rice, add a tablespoon of ghee and seal the pot with foil or atta dough so that the flavors don't escape from the Yakhni Pulao.
Cook the Yakhni Pulao on low heat for 15 minutes or till rice is done. After 15 minutes, switch off the stove and it is ready to be served.
Serve Yakhni Pulao With Chicken with Burani Raita or Tadka Raita Recipe (Spiced Curd With Onions) over a Family lunch on a Sunday afternoon. You can also serve a Satvik Sprouts Carrot Salad with this meal.