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Chicken Biryani Recipe
5 from 42 votes

Chicken Biryani Recipe

Chicken Biryani Recipe features bone-in chicken pieces marinated in a mixture of yogurt, spices, garlic, ginger, and chili powder, then layered with basmati rice cooked with aromatic whole spices and herbs like mint and cilantro. The slow-cooked dish delivers tender, flavorful chicken with fragrant, fluffy rice studded with saffron and cooked in seasoned ghee and oil for a richly spiced meal.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
55 mins
Servings: 6
Calories: 1255 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

For the Chicken
  • 1 hot finger pepper seeded, finely minced
  • 8 cloves garlic finely minced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger finely grated fresh
  • 1 cup yogurt full-fat
  • 1 tablespoon kashmiri chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon Turmeric ground
  • 1 ½ tablespoons garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon salt coarse
  • lemon about 2-3 tablespoons, juice of 1
  • 4 1/2 pound chicken breast thighs, and drums. Leave the bones in the thighs and drums, broken down into individual breasts
  • ½ cup avocado oil
  • 2 red onion peeled, thinly julienne sliced
  • 1 ½ cups tomato medium diced, fresh
  • 2 russet potato peeled, cut in half, thickly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons mint minced, fresh
  • 3 tablespoons cilantro fresh, minced
For the Rice
  • 3 cups basmati rice
  • 6 tablespoons ghee
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 star anise
  • 5 cloves
  • 5 green cardamom pods
  • 2 black cardamom pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds
  • ¼ cup mint minced, fresh
  • ¼ cup cilantro fresh, minced
  • 3 tablespoons whole milk heated
  • 12-15 saffron threads
  • salt coarse, to taste

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Start by whisking together the hot finger pepper, finely minced garlic, finely minced ginger, yogurt, chili powder, turmeric, salt, garam masala, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Taste it to see if it needs any more seasoning. Set it to the side.
  2. Remove the chicken skin from the chicken breast, thighs, and drums, and slice 2 to 3 ¼” to ½” deep incisions on each side.
  3. Place the chicken into the bowl with the spice and yogurt mixture and mix thoroughly to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for as little as 4 hours and up to 24 hours.
  4. Add the ½ cup of oil to a large 10-quart Dutch oven pot and fry the onions over medium heat, occasionally stirring until they are brown and crispy, which takes about 15-18 minutes. Set them to the side on a paper towel to drain any excess. Turn the heat off under the pot.
  5. Thoroughly rinse the basmati rice in a fine strainer for several minutes until the water is clear coming out of the bottom. Keep the rice in the strainer and place it in a large bowl of fresh cold water. Set it to the side for a few minutes.
  6. Add 2 tablespoons ghee to a large 6-quart pot over medium-high heat and sauté the whole bay leaf, star anise, cloves, green and black cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant.
  7. Pour 1 gallon of water into the spice pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Season it with salt.
  8. Add in the rinsed rice and cook for 5 to 7 minutes or until the rice is about 75% done and still has some bite. This is known as al dente.
  9. Strain the rice and set it to the side by spreading it on a sheet tray to cool quickly.
  10. Return to the pot with the remaining oil where the onions were fried and turn the heat to medium-high.
  11. Add in the marinated chicken along with the potatoes and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Be sure the potatoes are mixed in with the chicken and not just sitting on top.
  12. Flip the chicken over making sure to keep the potatoes in with the chicken, and cook for a further 5 to 6 minutes.
  13. Add 2/3 of the fried onions, 3 tablespoons of diced fresh mint, 3 tablespoons of diced fresh cilantro, and tomatoes, and mix to combine all the flavors and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
  14. Flatten out everything in the pot using a spoon and then layer on with half the cooked rice, 2 tablespoons of diced fresh mint, 2 tablespoons of diced fresh cilantro, half the remaining fried onions, and salt. Do not pack the rice when putting it on top, spread it out.
  15. Repeat the process one more time completely. Top off with the remaining 4 tablespoons of ghee.
  16. In a small bowl, add some warm heated milk and mix it with the saffron until it becomes very yellow. This only takes 2 to 3 minutes.
  17. Strain the saffron milk and pour it in circle motions over the rice.
  18. Place foil over the Dutch oven pot and then the lid. Cook over low heat for 30 to 35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the potatoes tender.
  19. Plate the chicken biryani with the rice, potatoes, and chicken, and garnish with any leftover fried onions, diced cilantro, and mint.

Notes

  • Marinate the chicken for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours for enhanced flavor and tenderness.
  • Use bone-in chicken pieces with scored cuts to improve marinade absorption.
  • Rinse basmati rice thoroughly to remove excess starch before cooking.
  • Fry onions until brown and crispy for added texture and flavor.
  • Layer chicken, rice, and fried onions in a pot and seal it tightly for authentic Dum cooking.
  • Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or freeze up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
  • Reheat gently in oven covered at 350°F for 20-25 minutes.
  • Do not substitute Greek yogurt; use full-fat plain yogurt instead.
  • Tomatoes can be fresh diced or canned diced as preferred.
  • Use leftover chicken carcass for stock and wings for other recipes if desired.

Nutrition Information

Calories 1255kcal (63%) Carbohydrates 100g (33%) Protein 54g (108%) Fat 70g (108%) Saturated Fat 22g (110%) Polyunsaturated Fat 11g (65%) Monounsaturated Fat 32g (160%) Trans Fat 0.2g (10%) Cholesterol 215mg (72%) Sodium 1383mg (58%) Potassium 1180mg (25%) Fiber 6g (24%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 1340IU (27%) Vitamin C 30mg (33%) Calcium 176mg (18%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1255

% Daily Value*

Calories 1255kcal 63%
Carbohydrates 100g 33%
Protein 54g 108%
Fat 70g 108%
Saturated Fat 22g 110%
Polyunsaturated Fat 11g 65%
Monounsaturated Fat 32g 160%
Trans Fat 0.2g 10%
Cholesterol 215mg 72%
Sodium 1383mg 58%
Potassium 1180mg 25%
Fiber 6g 24%
Sugar 6g 12%
Vitamin A 1340IU 27%
Vitamin C 30mg 33%
Calcium 176mg 18%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.