Description
This Chicken Biryani recipe is a flavorful and aromatic Indian rice dish featuring tender bone-in chicken marinated in yogurt and spices, layered with basmati rice, and slow-cooked to perfection. Infused with fresh herbs, whole spices, and optional saffron milk, it’s a classic one-pot meal perfect for family dinners and special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken Marinade
- 1½ pounds bone-in chicken pieces
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 3 tablespoons biryani masala or garam masala
For the Rice and Cooking
- 2 cups basmati rice (rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes)
- 1/4 cup oil or ghee
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
- 3 cups water
- 4 whole cloves
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt to taste
- Saffron strands soaked in 2 tablespoons warm milk (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with yogurt, minced garlic, grated ginger, lemon juice, turmeric, red chili powder, ground cumin, ground coriander, and biryani masala. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.
- Prepare the Spices and Onions: Heat oil or ghee in a large pot or deep skillet over medium heat. Add whole cloves, green cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Sauté until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add the thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they turn golden brown. Remove half of the fried onions and set aside for garnishing.
- Cook Tomatoes and Chicken: Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot and cook until they soften, about 5 minutes. Then, stir in the marinated chicken mixture and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is mostly cooked through and the sauce thickens.
- Add Herbs and Simmer: Mix in the chopped fresh cilantro and mint. Reduce the heat to low and let the chicken simmer gently to enhance the flavors while you prepare the rice.
- Parboil the Rice: In a separate pot, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add the soaked and drained basmati rice and cook for 5–6 minutes until it is about 70% cooked but still firm. Drain the rice thoroughly.
- Layer the Biryani: Spread the parboiled rice evenly over the chicken mixture in the pot. Drizzle the saffron-infused warm milk over the rice, if using, and top with the reserved fried onions for added aroma and texture.
- Dum Cooking: Cover the pot tightly with a lid or foil to seal. Cook on very low heat (dum) for 20–25 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the rice to finish cooking through steaming.
- Rest and Serve: Remove from heat and let the biryani rest for 10 minutes before gently fluffing the rice with a fork. Serve hot, ideally accompanied by raita or a fresh salad.
Notes
- For an easier version, use boneless chicken thighs and cook everything in one pot.
- You can substitute biryani masala with a mix of garam masala and additional spices if biryani masala is unavailable.
- Adjust the level of red chili powder to suit your preferred heat level.
- Soaking the basmati rice prior to cooking helps achieve better texture and fluffiness.
- Optional saffron adds aroma and a beautiful color, but can be omitted.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus at least 1 hour marinating time)
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop, One-Pot, Dum Cooking
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1 cup cooked biryani)
- Calories: 520
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 460mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 54g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
