A clear, warmly spiced chicken broth with shredded meat, the foundational soup of Pakistani home cooking.
Yakhni is one of the building blocks of Pakistani cuisine — a clear, deeply aromatic broth simmered slowly with whole spices like cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. On its own it's a comforting, restorative soup; used as a base, it becomes the foundation for dishes like yakhni pulao, where rice cooks directly in this broth to absorb its flavor. The technique for a good yakhni is patience and a gentle hand: a hard boil clouds the broth and toughens the meat, while a slow simmer with early foam-skimming keeps it clear and delicate. The whole spices infuse gradually rather than overpowering, which is why they're strained out rather than left floating in the final bowl. Served simply with shredded chicken, a drizzle of ghee and fresh lemon, it's the kind of soup that shows up in Pakistani households whenever someone needs something warm and easy to digest.
Serves 4
Combine chicken, water, onion, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, peppercorns, bay leaves, garlic and ginger in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then skim off any foam that rises.
Reduce to a low simmer, cover partially, and cook 40-45 minutes, until the chicken is fully tender and the broth is fragrant and pale gold.
Remove the chicken and set aside. Strain the broth through a fine sieve, discarding the whole spices, and season with salt.
While the broth strains, pull the chicken meat off the bones and shred it into bite-sized pieces.
Return the shredded chicken to the strained broth and warm through. Finish each bowl with a drizzle of ghee, cilantro and a lemon wedge.
Skimming the foam early is what keeps the broth clear instead of cloudy.
Skim the foam in the first 10 minutes of simmering — this is the single biggest factor in getting a clear broth.
Simmer gently, never at a hard boil, or the broth turns cloudy and the chicken toughens.
Toast the whole spices briefly in the dry pot before adding water for a deeper aroma.
Add a handful of rice to the broth in the last 15 minutes for a heartier one-pot meal.
Use lamb or mutton bones instead of chicken for the more traditional version of yakhni.
Stir in a spoonful of yogurt at the end for a creamier, tangier broth.
Refrigerate broth and shredded chicken together in an airtight container up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop.
Yakhni, a clear, aromatic meat broth built from whole spices, is foundational to Pakistani and broader South Asian cooking, forming the base for dishes ranging from simple soups to yakhni pulao, a rice dish cooked directly in this broth.
Yes, thighs work well and reduce the simmer time slightly, to about 30-35 minutes.
A pinch of ground versions can substitute, but the broth will taste muddier and less clear — whole spices are worth the effort here.
The pot likely boiled too hard at some point — keep it at a gentle simmer and skim foam promptly in the first 10-15 minutes.
Per serving (420g / 14.8 oz) · 4 servings total
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