Chana Pulao | Chickpeas Rice

Chana pulao is an easy healthy, delicious and quick Indian style chickpeas pulao or chickpeas rice. Made with chickpeas(kabuli chana), spices and herbs this wholesome, nutrition packed dinner or lunch is ready  just 20 Minutes. Can it  get easier than this.

This one pot recipe of pulao prepared with chickpeas, basmati rice, spices and herbs tickles your taste buds at all the right places. Now add achari masala to the mix and it becomes a dish that can be a part of your festive menu!

This delectable rice dish is known by many names. Chickpeas pulao, chana pulao, chickpeas pilaf or chickpeas rice. Call it by any name but served with a side dish of raita or plain yogurt this makes a delicious, nutritious and flavourful one pot meal.

Earlier I used to make this pulao in my traditional pressure cooker on stovetop. But, ever since I started instant pot cooking, I prepare most rice dishes in the Instant pot. You can make Achari chana pulao on stove top or make chickpeas pulao in the Instant pot.

This Chickpeas Pulao is

• Quick Weeknight Dinner.
• Gluten-free, vegan and vegetarian.
• One pot meal , quick to make and less cleaning after cooking.
• great for packing in lunchbox for kids and adults
• Filled with aromatics and very flavourful 

Ingredients 

Rice: You can use long grain or medium grain rice. I have used long grain basmati rice to make this chickpeas pilaf.

Chickpeas: You need cooked chickpeas for making this. So either use canned chickpeas or cook dried chickpeas prior to making pulao. 

Fresh: onion, Ginger and Green chili paste, coriander leaves/cilantro

Amritsari Vadi (optional): These are dried and spiced lentil dumplings. You can get these in any Indian store but if you can't find them simply skip them. 

Spices and Seasonings: cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, mace flower, star anise , kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt to taste

Ghee, butter or Vegetable Oil for cooking as per your choice. I prefer to use ghee because that makes everything taste so much better 🙂

How to Cook Chana Pulao

This is incredibly easy dish to cook and does not take more than 10 minutes of cooking time in the instant pot and 20 minutes in pressure cooker. For that to happen you need to use pre-cooked chickpeas or kabuli chana. 

Easiest solution is using canned and drained chickpeas. If you are using dried chickpeas I advice pre-cooking them. 

How to Pre-cook Chickpeas in Instant pot

1. Rinse chickpeas and soak in water for 6-7 hours. Drain out the water and rinse them again.
2. Now transfer soaked and drained chickpeas in inner pot of IP. Add water and ½ teaspoon of salt. 
3. For 1 cup of soaked chickpeas add 2 cups of water and so on. 
4. After closing the lid set the Instant pot in pressure cook mode and set the timer on 25 minutes. 
5. Force release the pressure and your chickpeas are ready to be used in a variety of dishes. 

I mostly do my meal preps in advance. Most of the times I keep the boiled chickpeas/chana, Rajma, boiled potatoes, boiled lentils, chopped vegetables etc in the fridge. It helps me to make a quick meal, salad or quick curry on a super short notice.

Making Chana Pulao

Instant Pot Chickpeas Pulao Cooking Method:

• Set the IP on Saute Mode. 
• Add Ghee or cooking oil and bay leaf, cinnamon, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, mace flower, Star anise and cook spices for 20 – 30 seconds till fragrant.
• Next, add sliced onion and ginger green chilli paste. Fry until the onions are light brown in color.
• Add cooked chickpeas, turmeric, red chilli and salt as per your taste. Saute the chickpeas with spices for 1 minute.
• Add rinsed basmati rice, Amritsari vadi (if you are using) and mix them to coat well with spices.
• Now add water, lemon juice and chopped coriander and stir the whole contents in the inner pot of IP.
• Cover the lid and now set the Instant pot on Pressure cook mode and set the timer to 3 minutes.
• After the cooking, open the IP and after releasing the pressure first.
• Fluff the rice add some more fresh cilantro or coriander and enjoy. 

I am sharing the cooking method for making chickpeas pulao on stovetop in the recipe card below. 

Recipe Notes for Making Chana Pulao

• When you are making chana pulao in Instant Pot you do not need any soaking of rice.
• Cooking time is very important if you want perfect grain of rice in pulao ( completely cooked but still holding shape).

• Potato cubes, cauliflower, carrots, tofu or paneer cubes can also be added in the kabuli chana pulao.

• Long-grain basmati rice, jasmine rice or any rice with less starch is suitable for making the pulao.

• Rice to water ratio for cooking pulao is important. Use 1.5 cup of water per cup of rice if you are using basmati rice.
• Over cooking rice can result in mushy rice or pilaf so please take care of that as well.
• Amritsari vadi or pickle masala are an optional addition you can make this chickpeas rice without that as well.
• Usually, You don't add turmeric powder in Pulao but in Kabuli chana pulao, I like to add turmeric in the rice as it gives a beautiful golden hue and adds taste.

Chana pulao serving suggestions

This one pot rice dish tastes great on it's own and packs a lot of flavour, you do not need many accompaniments. I pair it with raita or some plain greek yogurt.

You can serve it with either of these raita recipes: Boondi Raita, Cucumber raita, Beetroot Raita. The yogurt in raita adds a cooling effect and tone down the spices. Probiotics help digest the chickpeas.

On a busy work day, these one-pot rice dishes and meals with leftovers are practically a lifesaver.

More Such Recipes

• Mixed Vegetable Pulao (Instant Pot)
• Kala Chana Pulao
• Mushroom Rice
• Vegetable Masala Rice
• Instant Pot Coconut Rice
• Tava Pulao
• Rajma Rice (Kidney beans rice)
• Chana Sundal (Indian Chickpeas Salad)

Chana Pulao Recipe Video (Hindi)

📖 Recipe

Chana Pulao Recipe - Chickpeas Pulao

Easy chana pulao recipe which makes delicious and wholesome one pot meal for weeknights.This is Punjabi chana pulao recipe with a flavorful Amritsari twist.

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Course: brunch, Main Dish

Cuisine: Indian, indian cuisine, north indian, punjabi

Keyword: Chickpeas, chickpeas pulao, pulao, rice, rice recipes

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Soaking time: 6 hours

Servings: 4 4

Calories: 209kcal

Author: Rekha Kakkar

Ingredients

• 200 grams basmati rice
• 2 cups water
• 150 grams Chickpea cooked kabuli Chana
• 100 grams onion sliced
• 75 grams Amritsari Vadi optional
• 1 teaspoon Ginger Green chili paste optional
• 30 grams ghee
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds jeera
• 1 bay leaf tejpatta
• 1 cinnamon stick dalchini
• 3-4 cloves laung
• 1 mace flower
• 1 Star anise chakri phool
• 1 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder Lal mirch powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder haldi powder
• ½ teaspoon salt to taste
• 4 tablespoon coriander leaves for garnish
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

Chana Pulao on Stovetop in a Traditional Pressure Cooker

• Wash and soak rice for 20 minutes and keep aside. After 20 minutes discard water and use the rice as per recipe steps.
• Heat ghee in a medium pressure cooker over medium-low heat.
• Add cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon stick, mace, star anise followed by sliced onion, cook for 2-3 minutes or until onion softens.
• Add ginger and green chili paste if you want it spicier (I skipped in this recipe)
• Add the chickpeas, stock, turmeric powder and red chili.
• Then add the rice and stir to coat well with spices and ghee.
• Add 1.5 cups of water and mix well.
• Now add chopped coriander, Amritsari wadiyan (broken into pieces) and ½ lemon's juice.
• Cover the lid of pressure cooker and cook for until 2 whistles or 10 minutes.
• Slowly release the pressure after switching off the heat and gently fluff the rice. Serve this chana pulao hot with a chilled bowl of plain yogurt or boondi raita for a quick comfort meal.

Chana Pulao in Instant Pot

• Set the IP on Saute Mode. 
• Add Ghee or cooking oil and bay leaf, cinnamon, cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, mace flower, Star anise and cook spices for 20 – 30 seconds till fragrant.
• Next, add sliced onion and ginger green chilli paste. Fry until the onions are light brown in color.
• Add cooked chickpeas, turmeric, red chilli and salt as per your taste. Saute the chickpeas with spices for 1 minute.
• Add rinsed basmati rice, Amritsari vadi (if you are using) and mix them to coat well with spices.Now add water, lemon juice and chopped coriander and stir the whole contents in the inner pot of IP.
• Cover the lid and now set the Instant pot on Pressure cook mode and set the timer to 3 minutes.
• After the cooking, open the IP and after releasing the pressure first.
• Fluff the rice add some more fresh cilantro or coriander and enjoy. 

Video

Notes

• When you are making chana pulao in Instant Pot you do not need any soaking of rice.
• Cooking time is very important if you want perfect grain of rice in pulao ( completely cooked but still holding shape).
• Potato cubes, cauliflower, carrots, tofu or paneer cubes can also be added in the kabuli chana pulao.
• Long-grain basmati rice, jasmine rice or any rice with less starch is suitable for making the pulao.
• Rice to water ratio for cooking pulao is important. Use 1.5 cup of water per cup of rice if you are using basmati rice.
• Over cooking rice can result in mushy rice or pilaf so please take care of that as well.
• Amritsari vadi or pickle masala are an optional addition you can make this chickpeas rice without that as well.
• Usually, You don't add turmeric powder in Pulao but in Kabuli chana pulao, I like to add turmeric in the rice as it gives a beautiful golden hue and adds taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 209kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 172mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 27IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 2mg

More Chickpeas Recipes

•  Kala Chana Masala/Brown Chickpeas curry, 
• Amritsari Chole Masala, 
• Multani Chole
• Aloo Chole Curry
• Pindi Chana