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Morog Polao

Name: Morog Polao
Total time: 65 min
Yield: 5
Ingredients: 1 kg Chicken, bone-in, cut into curry pieces; 500 g Rice, fragrant short rice (chinigura/kalijira), washed; 100 g Yogurt; 3 pc Onion, thinly sliced; 1 tbsp Ginger, made into a paste; 1 tbsp Garlic, made into a paste; 5 pc Cardamom; 2 pc Cinnamon; 5 pc Cloves; 2 pc Bay leaf; 1 tsp Sugar; 3 tbsp Clarified butter; 3 tbsp Cooking oil; to taste Salt; 0.5 tsp Black pepper; 2 tbsp Dry fruits, raisins and cashews

65 min Medium 5 servings

Serves 5 · Total 65 min · Prep 20 min · Cook 45 min

Updated on 9 November 2026

AI-generated illustration (Gemini)

Bone-in chicken simmered until nearly done, then finished together with ghee-fried fragrant rice, sweet spices and browned onions. Lighter and sweeter than biryani, this is the chicken rice dish families serve at birthdays and small gatherings across Bangladesh.

Quick answer: 65 min in total · serves 5 · main ingredients: Chicken, Rice, Yogurt, Onion · amounts in metric and US

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Ingredients

Metric US

1 kg 2.2 lb Chicken, bone-in, cut into curry pieces
500 g 2.5 cup Rice, fragrant short rice (chinigura/kalijira), washed
100 g 0.4 cup Yogurt
3 pc 3 pc Onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp 1 tbsp Ginger, made into a paste
1 tbsp 1 tbsp Garlic, made into a paste
5 pc 5 pc Cardamom
2 pc 2 pc Cinnamon
5 pc 5 pc Cloves
2 pc 2 pc Bay leaf
1 tsp 1 tsp Sugar
3 tbsp 3 tbsp Clarified butter
3 tbsp 3 tbsp Cooking oil
to taste to taste Salt
0.5 tsp 0.5 tsp Black pepper (Optional)
2 tbsp 2 tbsp Dry fruits, raisins and cashews (Optional)

Steps

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Marinate the chicken with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste and salt for 20 minutes.
⏱ Marinating · 20 min
Heat ghee and oil in a wide pot; fry the sliced onion until golden, then remove half for garnish.
⏱ Frying onions · 6 min
Add the whole garam masala (cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf); fry for 30 seconds until fragrant.
⏱ Frying the whole spices · 1 min
Add the marinated chicken; cook uncovered, stirring, until it changes colour and releases its juices.
⏱ Cooking the chicken · 7 min
Pour in enough hot water to just cover the chicken; cover and simmer until the chicken is almost tender.
⏱ Simmering the chicken · 15 min
Lift out the chicken pieces; measure the remaining stock and add water to make it up to about 750 ml (3 cups) of liquid for the 500 g rice.
Add the washed rice (soaked for 20 minutes), sugar and the chicken back into the pot; bring to a boil, then cover and cook on low heat until the rice is done and fluffy. The chicken should reach 74 °C / 165 °F.
⏱ Cooking the rice · 18 min
Turn off the heat, scatter the fried onions, raisins and cashews on top, and let it rest covered for 10 minutes before fluffing.
⏱ Resting · 10 min

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Frequently asked questions

How long does Morog Polao take?

65 minutes in total: about 20 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking.

Is Morog Polao hard to make?

Degchi rates it medium. The method has 8 steps, and 7 of them have a timer you can start on this page.

How many people does Morog Polao serve?

This recipe serves 5. Use the toggle above the ingredient list to see the amounts in metric or US measures. For more or fewer portions, scale every amount in the same proportion, or use the servings control in the Degchi app.

Is Morog Polao halal, vegetarian or eggless?

It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is not vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.

What will I probably need to buy for Morog Polao?

Everyday staples that Degchi counts as pantry basics: cooking oil, salt. Spice-box items: cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: chicken, yogurt, onion, ginger, garlic, clarified butter. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: rice, sugar.

Any tips for making Morog Polao?

Chinigura or kalijira rice gives the real fragrance; if unavailable, a short-grain basmati works too. Water for the rice: after lifting out the chicken, measure the stock and top up with hot water to about 1.5 cups of liquid per cup of rice. Once the rice is in, do not stir again, or the grains break and turn sticky.