Biryani, a delicious mixed rice dish with roots in South Asia’s diverse culinary terrain, has become a culinary masterpiece cherished by millions. This delectable dish often mixes fragrant rice, a variety of meats such as chicken, cattle, goat, lamb, prawns, or fish, and an assortment of aromatic spices. To accommodate vegetarians, biryani can also be made without meat, with veggies, eggs, and potatoes serving as a delicious substitute.
Chicken Birani Recipe
Servings: 3
Calories: 753kcal
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup oil
- 2 cups ` sliced onions (200 grams)
- To marinate
- 1/2 cup yogurt/curd( fresh, not sour)
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 11/2 tbsp Ginger and garlic grate or paste
- 1 green chili deseeded and slit
- 11/2 rbsp Oil ( may use fried onion oil)
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 1/4 tbsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 to 3/4 tbsp Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
- 11/4 tbsp biryani masala ( buy from shop)
- 1/2 tbsp coriander powder
- 1/4 tbsp roasted cumin powder
- 2 tbsp mint leaves fine choped
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves fine chopped
- 1/2 kg chicken ( skinless bone-in or boneless. large pieces such as thighs, drumsticks, legs or breast)
- To cook Rice
- 11/2 cups premium aged basmati rice
- 1/2 tbsp oil
- 3/4 to 1 tbsp salt
- 4 cardamoms
- 4 cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 inch cinnamon
- 1 star anise
- 1/4 tbsp shahi jeera
- 1/2 mace
- To layer
- 1 pinch saffron strands or natural orange food color as needed
- 1 tbsp hot milk
- 2 tbsp hot water
- 1 to pinches biryani mint and coriander leaves
- 1 to 2 tbsp mint and coriander leaves
- 11/2 tbsp melted ghee or a few drops of organic attar stirred with ghee
Notes
Guidelines (step-by-step pictures)
This 1x recipe serves 3 people. I doubled the recipe, so the quantities in the pictures are larger.
3. Transfer to a plate to cool completely. They will darken after cooling, so don't overcook them or they will become bitter in a matter of seconds.
4. This is an optional step. Because it is flavored, many people prefer to use this fried onion oil in the marinade. However, the oil in the pot/Dutch oven is discarded. I also prefer to use my fingers to squeeze the excess oil from the fried onions. To remove the majority of the oil, pat them dry with kitchen tissues. When finished, they should look like the images below. This yields 12 cup golden onions.
Marinate the chicken for 18 minutes.
I cook the biryani in the same pot/Dutch oven that I fried the onions in. However, it is critical to allow it to cool before preparing the marinade.
5. Combine yogurt, lemon juice, ginger garlic paste, green chili, oil, salt, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, biryani masala (or garam masala), coriander powder, roasted cumin powder, mint leaves, and coriander leaves in a mixing bowl. Combine all of the ingredients and taste for salt, spice, and heat. Adjust as needed.
6. Include chicken. I also score the larger pieces of chicken with gashes. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight in the refrigerator. While it marinates, keep it covered.
Prepare the gravy (20 minutes)
7. Cook the chicken for 4–5 minutes on medium heat.
8. Set aside 2 tablespoons brown onions for later and add the rest (about 6 tablespoons) here. 14 cup hot water should be added and thoroughly mixed.
9. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat (depending on the size and type of chiken used, organic and bone-in chiken takes longer). The chicken should be almost fully cooked (95% cooked). Remove from the heat.
Prepare the rice (15 minutes)
10. While your chicken gravy is cooking, rinse the rice three times and soak for at least 15 minutes (if necessary). Follow the directions on your rice package). In a large pot, combine 6 cups of water and the whole spices listed below. You do not require all of them. Cardamom, cloves, ba leaf, cinnamon, star anise, shahi jeera, and 1/2 mace.
11. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a medium heat (keep it boiling), cover the pot, and cook for 5 minutes. If you don't like whole spices in your biryani, use a spider to fish out as many as you want at this stage. Save some for garnish or discard the rest.
12. Pour in the oil, then add the drained rice and salt. Bring the water back to a boil and cook for 5 minutes on high heat, or until 90% done. Rice should be firm, almost cooked but with a bite, and not completely cooked. When you press the rice grain, it should be firm, almost cooked but with a bite, and not completely cooked. When you press the rice grain, it should break but not become mushy. Drain immediately into a colander.
Make chicken biryani (layer the biryani) 30 minutes
13. As needed, soak saffron strands or natural orange food color in 2 tbsp hot milk = 2 tbsp hot water (or rice cooked water). Prepare 2 tablespoons chopped mint/coriander leaves, 2 tablespoons friend onions, 1 to 2 pinches biryani, masala, and ghee.
14. Check the following points before layering the rice over the chicken:
16. Spread 1 tablespoon brown onions and rice over the chicken. 1 to 2 pinches biryani masala, mint coriander leaves, ghee, saffron mink water, and the remaining fried onions.
17. If you're not using a dutch oven, seal the pot with foil or a clean, moist cloth (not a dry cloth). Turn the heat to medium for 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for another 18 to 20 minutes. Turn off the computer and take a 10-minute break.
If you're not using a heavy-bottomed pot, such as a dutch oven, sandwiched bottom pot, or triply cookware, place a tawa on the stove first, followed by your cookware. Cook for 5 minutes on high heat, then 18 to 20 minutes on medium heat.
18. When you open the pot, the rice grains should have curled, indicating that it has been dum cooked thoroughly. If not, increase the cook time the next time. The cook time varies slightly depending on the type and size of stove/burner.
Garnish with additional fried onions and coriander/mint leaves. Serve Chicken Biryani in layers with a large rice paddle, so that each portion gets the chicken from the bottom and the rice from the top.
What to serve with this biryani: Cucumber Raita and onion salad. In India, we serve this with shorba, a biryani gravy, or with this chiken kurma (not korma) and kachumber or onion raita.
- Wash and peel the onion (this takes 22 minutes). Slice them thinly and evenly so they fry evenly. Remove and discard the onion's basal plate, allowing the slices to separate. Measure the slices to equal 2 cups.
- Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large pan/dutch oven over medium heat. On a medium heat, constantly sauté the onions until they are evenly golden to light brown, but not deep brown or burnt. This entire task takes me about 13 to 14 minutes. 7 minutes on medium heat, 4 minutes on low heat, and 2 to 3 minutes with the stove turned off. However, this may differ for you.
3. Transfer to a plate to cool completely. They will darken after cooling, so don't overcook them or they will become bitter in a matter of seconds.
4. This is an optional step. Because it is flavored, many people prefer to use this fried onion oil in the marinade. However, the oil in the pot/Dutch oven is discarded. I also prefer to use my fingers to squeeze the excess oil from the fried onions. To remove the majority of the oil, pat them dry with kitchen tissues. When finished, they should look like the images below. This yields 12 cup golden onions.
Marinate the chicken for 18 minutes.
I cook the biryani in the same pot/Dutch oven that I fried the onions in. However, it is critical to allow it to cool before preparing the marinade.
5. Combine yogurt, lemon juice, ginger garlic paste, green chili, oil, salt, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder, biryani masala (or garam masala), coriander powder, roasted cumin powder, mint leaves, and coriander leaves in a mixing bowl. Combine all of the ingredients and taste for salt, spice, and heat. Adjust as needed.
6. Include chicken. I also score the larger pieces of chicken with gashes. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight in the refrigerator. While it marinates, keep it covered.
Prepare the gravy (20 minutes)
7. Cook the chicken for 4–5 minutes on medium heat.
8. Set aside 2 tablespoons brown onions for later and add the rest (about 6 tablespoons) here. 14 cup hot water should be added and thoroughly mixed.
9. Cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes on medium heat (depending on the size and type of chiken used, organic and bone-in chiken takes longer). The chicken should be almost fully cooked (95% cooked). Remove from the heat.
Prepare the rice (15 minutes)
10. While your chicken gravy is cooking, rinse the rice three times and soak for at least 15 minutes (if necessary). Follow the directions on your rice package). In a large pot, combine 6 cups of water and the whole spices listed below. You do not require all of them. Cardamom, cloves, ba leaf, cinnamon, star anise, shahi jeera, and 1/2 mace.
11. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a medium heat (keep it boiling), cover the pot, and cook for 5 minutes. If you don't like whole spices in your biryani, use a spider to fish out as many as you want at this stage. Save some for garnish or discard the rest.
12. Pour in the oil, then add the drained rice and salt. Bring the water back to a boil and cook for 5 minutes on high heat, or until 90% done. Rice should be firm, almost cooked but with a bite, and not completely cooked. When you press the rice grain, it should be firm, almost cooked but with a bite, and not completely cooked. When you press the rice grain, it should break but not become mushy. Drain immediately into a colander.
Make chicken biryani (layer the biryani) 30 minutes
13. As needed, soak saffron strands or natural orange food color in 2 tbsp hot milk = 2 tbsp hot water (or rice cooked water). Prepare 2 tablespoons chopped mint/coriander leaves, 2 tablespoons friend onions, 1 to 2 pinches biryani, masala, and ghee.
14. Check the following points before layering the rice over the chicken:
- The gravy should be thick but pourable (not runny or dropping consistency).
- Both the chicken gravy and the pot must be hot.
- The cooked rice should be steaming hot.
- If the above criteria are not met, your dum cook time (steaming time) will be reduced.
16. Spread 1 tablespoon brown onions and rice over the chicken. 1 to 2 pinches biryani masala, mint coriander leaves, ghee, saffron mink water, and the remaining fried onions.
17. If you're not using a dutch oven, seal the pot with foil or a clean, moist cloth (not a dry cloth). Turn the heat to medium for 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for another 18 to 20 minutes. Turn off the computer and take a 10-minute break.
If you're not using a heavy-bottomed pot, such as a dutch oven, sandwiched bottom pot, or triply cookware, place a tawa on the stove first, followed by your cookware. Cook for 5 minutes on high heat, then 18 to 20 minutes on medium heat.
18. When you open the pot, the rice grains should have curled, indicating that it has been dum cooked thoroughly. If not, increase the cook time the next time. The cook time varies slightly depending on the type and size of stove/burner.
Garnish with additional fried onions and coriander/mint leaves. Serve Chicken Biryani in layers with a large rice paddle, so that each portion gets the chicken from the bottom and the rice from the top.
What to serve with this biryani: Cucumber Raita and onion salad. In India, we serve this with shorba, a biryani gravy, or with this chiken kurma (not korma) and kachumber or onion raita.
